Under the Sails of Black
by blackpearl.fantasy
Summary: PostAWE. Captain Jack Sparrow has captured Lizzie's heart. What will she do when she finds out she's in love with Jack AND Will? Plus, Jack's taken them on another lifethreatening adventure. Sparrabeth, disregard AWE events. Now COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1:My Life and My Love

I stood at the bow of the _Black Pearl_, playing with the tip of my braid and watching a couple of dolphins in the water below. It was a perfect day—the sky a bright, hard blue, the sea a beautiful, sparkling turquoise. The sun was shining the color of a ripe banana high in the sky, and there wasn't a cloud as far as I could see—which was to the very horizon that Captain Jack Sparrow wanted.

Once in a while a wonderfully light breeze blew in my direction, though the ebony sails above me billowed in a steady wind that kept the _Pearl_ on course. Normally there would have been a few of the crew members on deck, doing some kind of work, but today there was nobody (except perhaps Anamaria, in the crow's nest). Instead there was only the occasional call of seagulls or the water lapping the sides of the _Pearl_, and most of the time a beautiful silence that filled my area. I breathed in a deep breath of tangy sea air, and felt a familiar thrill as one of the dolphins leapt, showering me with cool, salty spray.

This had all become part of my life. As I stood watching the ripples of water, the smooth streamlined curve of the dolphins' path, I thought about my life. I was Elizabeth Swann—Elizabeth _Turner_ soon—and I could no longer be "the governor's daughter." I was a pirate now—part of the _Black Pearl_. Wearing corsets and dresses, acting prim and proper, and being served were all out of my life now. They were replaced by my shirt and pants, robbing and looting, and working on the ship as a crew member. My orderly, disciplined childhood had completely been laid to rest; I now kept a sword and gun ready and never thought much about "parley." All of this made me completely and utterly happy. The _Pearl_ was my home now, and I would never go back to living in Port Royal.

I heard footsteps behind me, and turned to find the captain striding towards me. A certain part of my mind seemed to be expecting something I didn't want.

"Hey, love," he said. I stiffened slightly.

"Jack—" I began.

"All right," sighed Jack. "Elizabeth, you know how I feel…"

"And _you_ know I'm going to be married to Will in a matter of weeks! I told you, Jack. We'll do it in secret in a town somewhere… maybe Port Royal if we can risk it, but I am, in fact, engaged!"

A few seconds passed before I said stiffly, "And do you have a specific reason for coming, captain?"

"I was wondering if you could find something useful since you're on deck already."

"I plan to go to the crow's nest in a few minutes," I said quickly.

"Ah," he said. "Oh, and darling—"

"_Jack_," I said, not knowing whether to feel sympathetic or exasperated. "Sorry, but I've told you that it never would have worked between us, and it never will." With as much dignity as I could muster, I swept past him towards the mast. I climbed up the mast with experience and agility, my head teeming with thoughts.

I knew for certain that I didn't love Jack Sparrow. I knew that he fancied me, and it did get a little annoying at times. _It'll pass_, I decided. _Once I'm married. Jack _is_ a good man, after all_. I loved Will, and Will loved me in return. If there was anything else to it, I wasn't planning to think about it.

I emerged in the crow's nest and found Anamaria there, scanning the horizon with a telescope. I hoped she hadn't been watching Jack and me.

"Hello, Anamaria," I greeted. "I've come to take your place, just like I promised earlier."

"You are a pirate of your word, aren't you?" said Anamaria, handing me the telescope.

"I am," I replied, flashing Ana a smile as she started to climb down. I could see Jack at the bow, standing very still and staring towards the horizon. In a few moments Ana was walking towards him. _She probably _was_ watching us_, I thought.

"You really do like her, don't you, captain?" Ana's loud voice floated up to me. I covered my ears, not wanting to hear the answer.

I stayed in the crow's nest until after the sun had set. Then I let Gibb's take my place and went to find Will.

"Elizabeth," he said, nearly running into me on deck.

"Will." I smiled. "Any news of where we're going? Or is Jack still keeping it secret?"

"Well…" Will said. "I don't know exactly where we are headed but I have heard that we'll be in a small town somewhere in a couple of weeks."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" I exclaimed. "We can have a private wedding there! There won't be anyone to catch us, will there?"

"I would doubt it," Will said happily. I was ecstatic now—I would be married soon!


	2. Chapter 2: Prophecy of the Silver Wave

**Disclaimer which I rudely forgot to add in the first chapter: I (unfortunately) don't own anything PotC (except perhaps the plotline of this and maybe some new characters) It all goes to the wonderful geniuses of Disney. (Oh, this is random, but did you know that Isla de Muerta means Dead Island in Spanish?)**

**A/N: Thank you to my reviewers, I (like all authors on this site) LOVE reviews, so if you haven't already, please review! (If you have, review some more!) And thanks to Florencia7 for the nice little quote about a "diplomatic silence." Anyways, I know that the first chapter wasn't really anything and this one might be a teensy bit more exciting. There is in fact a… subplot? to this—I mean, it's not completely romance: I wouldn't be able to continue if it's completely romance…Oh, and if you hate lots of description, sorry, but please bear with me. I do have a tendency to get kind of carried away. :) And also, please just assume that Davy Jones was defeated, I don't really want to develop some complicated alternative to that. ****Anyways, to the story!**

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I eagerly helped with the sails the next day. The wind was stronger now, and according to Gibbs, who had been informed by Jack, we were making good time. 

During the late afternoon I found free time on my hands and strolled contentedly to the starboard side of the _Pearl_. The sunset was always amazing to see, especially in the open ocean. I watched that great fiery orb sink ever so slowly beneath the horizon--that wonderful abstract line where the sea met the sky. I watched it throw its brilliant rays over the dappled surface of the water, and I watched it make a thousand tiny winking lights dance across the ocean. I watched it turn the water just below it to liquid gold, and I watched it falling, little by little, until I could see only the top curve of the magnificent circle of light. I watched as it finally fell beneath the horizon, as if coming home from a long and tiresome journey, and the sky above it was a flaming orange that faded to golden yellow and slowly to the palest of beiges, up and up till here was a tiny strip of white that changed immediately to blue. Already I could see the moon in the distance when I finally tore my eyes away and looked in the opposite direction.

"That was stunning, wasn't it?" said a soft voice beside me. I turned to find my fiance.

"Oh, Will," I said, smiling and turning back to stare dreamily at the patch of orange. "Yes, it was. It was one of the most beautiful sights in the world. Especially on the water."

"We're definitely not going back to Port Royal, then."

"Definitely," I agreed. "I can't leave the sea anymore."

"I've become attached, too," said Will slowly. "It runs through my blood."

We were silent for a while, as the orange and gold faded away.

"You two," said the voice of Jack behind us. "The lovers. I have to tell you that the sillhouettes really don't look too romantic from here. Quit staring--you're needed in my cabin."

We turned, and strode below deck with Jack leading us to his cabin. He opened the door, and we found that Gibbs, Anamaria, and Tia Dalma (who had been sailing with us since we had defeated Davy Jones) were already seated by his desk inside. Will and I found a pile of raggedy cushions lying around a sat down. Jack took his place in the only actual chair in the room, in front of his desk, and cleared his throat strangely.

"Well," he said awkwardly--he obviously hadn't been preparing a speech. "As you all know, I don't usually have it so... erm, _formal_, but I thought you might want a little details here. So, we are heading toward a place called Isla de Profecia, which is the island where the famous pirate prophetess Morgana divined some futures... She was buried there too, if you wanted to know. Anyways--"

"Jack?" I interrupted. "I mean--Captain Jack?" Jack looked at me in what seemed to be an extremely annoyed manner.

"What?"

"Well—Isla de Profecia just seems quite like… Isla de Muerta, and I think you might benefit from not meddling with other pirates' curses or things of that sort, unless, of course, they or their ships happen to be related to you somehow—"

"And _I_ think," Jack, sounding even more irritated than he looked, "that _you_, my dear Miss Swann, might benefit from maintaining a diplomatic silence at times!"

There was a short, very un-diplomatic silence before Jack spoke again.

"_Anyways_," he said. "There is a certain prophecy that the old hag said, the Prophecy of the Silver Wave… Says that a man—a pirate, to be precise—by the name of Merlow, will come to power with a single gun that he never has to reload, and if one of the bullets touches you for so much as second, you will be dead, in a matter of minutes. _And_ Merlow has a ship called the _Silver Wave_ that is supposedly faster than even my _Pearl_ and he has a crew of supposedly invincible fighters. However, the prophecy says that if any person willingly dies from the gun's shot, Merlow will meet his downfall and suffer for eternity at World's End."

"Where did he come by this gun of his and how do _you_ know, Captain?" asked Anamaria immediately.

"I know things, Ana. Apparently the goddess of the sea gave the gun to him. He bribed her," said Jack dismissively. "It is identifiable by a golden glyph inscribed on it."

"So the prophecy came true, then," said Tia Dalma.

"It did," said Jack. "Merlow and his crew have killed many and he is quite notorious in the Caribbean. Actually, people now think he's some kind of immortal being; after all he keeps his gun with him at all times."

"And we are going to Isla de Profecia—" said Gibbs.

"Because I seek help from two people who live there," replied Jack. "And I do intend for Merlow to be defeated, because one—he has something of mine that I have every intention of reclaiming, two—he may be a threat to the welfare of the _Pearl_, three—he may lead us to a very large amount of valuable items that we may need, and four—he has an overwhelmingly_ enormous_ stash of rum that I find myself wanting. Savvy?"

We nodded dumbly.

"Why... hasn't anyone been brave enough to willingly die so that this Merlow might 'meet his downfall'?" asked Will.

"Because not everyone has the benefit of being a crew member aboard the _Black Pearl, _which has a captain who happens to know many _very_ interesting things of this sort," said Jack. "And in case you're getting any ideas, we do in fact need you, so _please_ try not to do anything extremely stupid, because I think you have a tendency to do just those things."

"Depends on what you call stupid," muttered Will.

"So," said Jack, ignoring Will, "that really concludes this discussion." He pulled out his compass, opened it, and pointed in the appropriate direction.

"We'll go that way," he said. "Now, excuse me, please. I think I'd like to get some more rum."

_He looks stressed... _I thought. _Maybe I shouldn't have said all that yesterday, but I _am _engaged. _Still, as we filed out of the cabin, I turned around to give Jack a small, quick smile. If he noticed, though, he showed no sign of it. I gave this a mental shrug as I emerged on deck and heard Gibbs shouting a few orders, including mending part of the rigging.

_Lovely, _I thought. _A perfect time to be up there. _I climbed up and worked quickly while the ebony black sails rippled in the wind. I involuntarily glanced at the horizon that I could barely see in the distance. _Somewhere... somewhere out there, another adventure. And afterwards, marriage._ I thought about Jack. _It'll be fine_, I told myself firmly. _He fancies me, but he _will_ get over it. _I looked down to see the captain swaggering across the deck, holding a bottle of rum.

"We're devils and black sheep and really bad eggs, drink up me hearties, yo ho!"

The rest of the crew and I joined in enthusiastically, putting down any worries about Merlow or anything else.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a PIRATE'S LIFE FOR ME!"

* * *

**Hope you liked this chappie! I'm sorry about the shortness of them (and the length of the A/N at the beginning), I'll try to make them longer now. I put a big emphasis on the fact that this is romance, but if any of you are wondering whether this is Willabeth or Sparrabeth (it's definitely not JA)... can't tell you yet:) Now you should go review!!!**


	3. Chapter 3: Island of Prophecy

**Disclaimer: I (unfortunately) don't own any Pirates of the Caribbean characters, setting?, or... other stuff (great word, right?:) That belongs to Disney's geniuses!**

**A/N: Thanks to my reviewers! Hope you all like this chappie!**

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A couple of weeks later, I found myself once again at my favorite standing spot on the _Pearl_--the bow. I didn't know why I seemed to be becoming increasingly excited about the new, very dangerous adventure on which we were about to embark. I seemed to be constantly asking Jack questions about Merlow--I was curious beyond what I thought was normal, but I hadn't dared to ask Jack what possession of his Merlow had. 

Suddenly my eyes found something on the horizon--a tiny, jagged strip of dark brown in the distance.

"Jack--Captain Jack...?" I said uncertainly, turning around to look for him, reluctant to look away from the land. I saw him behind me, wearing a roguish smile.

"Ah yes, indeed, dear," he said. "Isla de Profecia. Now, Elizabeth, if you'll allow me to steer..."

" 'Course," I said eagerly. I stepped aside but stayed to watch as we steadily approached the island.

"So, Jack," I said after a while. "Who exactly are these two people from whom you seek help?"

"Blood relatives of Morgana. Well, her daughters, to be precise. Emera and Aryza."

"Are they prophetesses too?"

"I can't be certain of that. I am sort of acquainted with them, though. They are _far_ more lovely than their mother."

I studied the land with interest before saying, "How old are they?"

"Twelve--thirteen, perhaps."

"Oh," I said in surprise. "They're still children?"

Jack shifted the wheel a little, then turned to look at me with a strange expression on his face.

"I understand, Miss Swann--"

"Elizabeth," I said.

"I believe, Elizabeth, that you were a child when you made the very interesting decision of taking Will's Aztec medallion from him. Am I right?"

I blushed a little and nodded. _Hm... if I hadn't taken that, none of this would have ever happened and I would probably be the unhappy wife of Norrington right now. I would never have known Will as I know him now, or Anamaria and the rest of the crew, and of course, Jack..._

In no time the _Pearl_ was sailing into a large cove that sheltered her snugly. Jack turned to see who was on deck.

"Ah, Master Gibbs, and Ana," he said. "And you, Elizabeth. Accompany me, please. Just us for now--I wish to be there soon."

The island was an entire jumble of dark porous brown rock, slightly larger than the one Jack and I had been marooned on. With an easy leap, Jack was off the ship and on the dark rock. I followed, with Gibbs and Ana behind me. He called out; apparently someone else was on deck, because soon the largest boat was lowered into the water.

"This won't be the most comfortable thing you've experienced," he said, and we squeezed in. With Jack calling out occasional directions, we rowed along the jagged shoreline into another, much larger cove on the other side of the island. We secured the boat to a rock and climbed out.

Jack led us deeper into the cave until we came upon the end chamber. There were a few holes in the roof, letting in shafts of sunlight that illuminated the area. There were two beds, a few tables and chairs, and various random things that were necessary for life. I saw a sort of natural alcove, in which there was a gravestone. Upon a chair carved from stone sat a girl of about thirteen, watching us.

"Emera," said the girl. "It's _Captain_ Jack!" Another girl of about the same age came from behind a outcropping of rock--there must have been another chamber there. _Interesting island_, I thought.

"Yes," said Jack. "Aryza. Emera. I've come with my crew to ask for help. The last time you helped me, I was very successful. I hope you are willing to help again...?"

"Who are they?" asked Emera, the second girl, indicating us. Her voice sounded rude and scornful.

"A few of my crew," said Jack casually. "Master Gibbs, Anamaria, Elizabeth."

Aryza and Emera studied Jack and us. I found them intimidating and awkward, but managed a few glances at them. They were twins, I could tell, even though they were blatantly different. Aryza had pale skin, a mane of shoulder-length, wheat-colored curls streaked with tan, and sharp, keen green eyes. Emera's skin was darker, and she had beautiful, full golden cascades that tumbled down her back and brown eyes the color of honey. They both stared at us scrutinizingly, eyes darting between Jack and me, to Ana and Gibbs, and glancing at Jack before they finally rested on me. I flinched involuntarily under their gaze.

"Last time..." said Aryza to Jack.

"Yes, _last time_," said Emera, "we helped you, and not only did you neglect to give us something to sustain us in return--"

"But you left us on a wretched island, with no food or water, and some kind of _creature_ to kill us!" finished Aryza.

Jack said nothing.

"So," said Emera, striding over to me.

"In love, aren't you, Jack?" said Aryza.

"No," I said quickly. "I'm a member of the--"

"But he _loves_ you anyhow," Aryza said, almost in a sneer.

"So you're to repay us, Jack," said Emera. "Before you even _think_ about getting help again, or she dies!"

And she pulled out a dagger and pressed it to my throat.

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**Let me guess... you hate me for stopping here, and for (still) making chapters so short. Sorry, there has to be _some_ suspense! Please review now!**


	4. Chapter 4: Negotiation and Trust

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any PotC-related things. (sigh) **

**A/N: Yes I know the last chapter was really short and cliffhanging so I tried updating as fast as I could. Please review, I appreciate it wholeheartedly!**

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Everyone but the twins froze. Too late, I realized I had involuntarily backed into the stone wall of the cave when Emera had approached me. I was more than trapped. Aryza reached out a hand and held me to the wall. They were stronger than I was, but I wouldn't have tried to move anyways. 

Jack cleared his throat, his eyes taking the twins' every move.

"Perhaps," he said slowly, his voice carefully controlled and his eyes never leaving me, "you can let Elizabeth go, and we can negotiate."

Aryza's hold on me tightened.

"I have my faults," said Jack quickly, "but I must say that this won't do you any good. I can't conjure any payment right now, nor can you two stand there holding Elizabeth forever, and killing her won't give you you payment or revenge, savvy?"

Emera pressed the dagger harder, and I gave a gasp of pain. I could feel a tiny trickle of blood run down to the hollow at the base of my throat.

"Lizzie!" said Ana while Gibbs started to rush toward me, but stopped when Emera stroked the dagger's handle. I stared pleadingly toward Jack. _Surely he can help... he has to help me..._

"If you kill her," said Jack, "I guarantee you that you will have no benefit from it."

"This is revenge," Aryza snarled viciously.

"Listen, neither of you _died_. And you didn't have to see anyone die, either."

"It doesn't matter what kind of pain that's experienced," said Aryza in a dangerous voice. "It was pain, and you'll get it too! You _love_ her."

Jack stared at Aryza blankly.

"And you don't deny it," Emera added.

"I didn't acknowledge it."

"No," agreed Emera. "But you don't have to. Whether you deny it, acknowledge it, or say nothing, it's true."

Jack sighed. "Listen, I've already told you that you can't hold here there forever. Name your terms."

"We want," said Aryza immediately, "our rightful payment, as you know."

"Which is...?"

"Something that can help us live here," said Emera. "Or something of value. Like, say, your compass."

_But he swore never to let that go, _I though frantically.

"Or something else," added Aryza with intensity. "And you owe us something more--we helped you out of a nasty situation and you left us to die! You owe us a blood debt, according to pirate law!"

"You aren't pirates, though," commented Gibbs.

"Pirate blood runs through our veins," said Emera in a dangerous whisper full of pride. "And we're witches, just as our mother was. She was a prophetess, we are conjurers. We can make a ship from air and a crew from dust. Then... We. Are. Pirates."

I had been hoping for this. If they were pirates, they had pirate law as well. I opened my mouth a little.

"What?" snapped Emera. I gestured awkwardly with my hands, indicating the dagger at my throat. Reluctantly Emera pulled it away, watching me as I took a few deep, relieved yet fearful breaths. I rubbed my neck a little, and my lips moved but made no sound.

"What?" said Aryza impatiently. I coughed a little, and managed to say it in a choked whisper.

"We haven't got all day to finish this... negotiation!" shouted Aryza.

"Parley," I said at last. There was a short pause.

"Ah," said Jack. "Yes. We _are... _parleying in a way..."

"Well," said Emera, pushing me to the stone wall again and pressing the dagger. "Those are our terms. You'll have... three days to bring us something in payment, and that blood debt remains still. You're bound to save us one day..."

"Can we have Elizabeth back please?" asked Ana quickly.

"'Course, but she's under a spell, so if three days are over, well she'll be gone before you can figure that out."

"If I can bring you enough payment for _two_ times of your helping me," mused Jack.

"_Perhaps_, we'll help."

"Agreed," said Jack. "Let Elizabeth go."

"No," said Aryza in a voice like poisoned honey. "We'll keep her for a day or two, before we start counting the three days. Just to make sure you know _exactly_ what you're planning to bring and how to get it."

"You didn't say that!" protested Jack furiously.

"Consider this, _Captain_," said Emera. "You are indebted to us and you are still asking for more help. Do you think you can really afford to be arguing?"

"This isn't fair!" said Ana.

"Pirate," hissed Aryza.

"All right," said Jack after a long moment's decision. "But you'll do her _no harm_, or I promise you'll get nothing, or worse than nothing."

The twins smirked at him but nodded.

"Well, get going," said Aryza. "We only have room to accomodate the captive."

"I'd like to speak with Elizabeth, if you please," said Jack as the Gibbs and Ana reluctantly headed towards the boat.

"No private exchanges," sneered Emera. "We can't lose such a _valuable_ prisoner..."

Jack ignored her and strode over to me. Emera took the dagger from my throat and walked a few feet away, watching.

"Listen," he said. "Don't do anything dangerous or life-threatening, all right, love?"

I nodded.

"I'll get you out of here in no time."

I nodded again. He took my hand in his.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "It's my fault, but I didn't know they became so vicious. I'm sorry, I shouldn't put you in danger like this."

"Just get me out soon," I said pleadingly. The thought of spending "a day or two" with the twins seemed to be uncomparable torture.

"I will. Trust me. You have to trust me, all right?"

"I trust you," I said shakily.

"Good. I'll see you soon, and promise you won't do anything dangerous and don't let them do anything to you... and try not to get them in a bad mood."

"I promise."

"All right. Be safe."

I nodded.

"Trust me," he said again. "I'll get you out."

I stared at him. I felt something strange, somehow. I couldn't describe the feeling, but I knew I wished he didn't have to leave. I smiled weakly.

"I trust you."


	5. Chapter 5: Love

**A/N: AWE was so amazing! It took a while of considering, but I finally decided that even though AWE has ruined my fanfic, I'll continue. Ignore everything that happened in AWE, thanks!**

**Disclaimer: You already know what I don't own. :)**

* * *

"It's Lizzie, isn't it?" asked Aryza as I slid down to the damp floor to sit, shivering a little in the cold air. 

"It's Miss--" I began, my fear turning to disgust, then stopping suddenly. I wasn't "the governor's daughter" anymore. "It's Elizabeth."

"Well, Elizabeth," said Emera. Her voice seemed to have lost some of its fury and contempt from earlier as she threw a fluffy warm blanket at me. I guessed that it must have been stolen from a very fine place.

"So how did you meet Jack?" she asked, her hard golden-brown eyes staring at me with interest.

"I--" I began awkwardly, still feeling uneasy under the twins' gaze, "I--fell into the water, when I lived in Port Royal, and Jack saved my life, while getting caught himself."

"You lived in Port Royal?" asked Aryza.

"I was the governor's daughter," I said without thinking.

"And you're a _pirate_?" There was a hint of admiration and disbelief in her voice now. I nodded.

"So he saved you and got caught," said Emera. "How noble of him. I s'pose it's the only thing he's ever done that's not for his own benefit. Or perhaps he fell in love the moment he saw you falling, and wanted to capture your heart that way."

I was liking them less by the minute, and rushed in defense of Jack.

"That's not true," I protested hotly. "He must have done plenty of good things, even for the pirate that he is."

Aryza laughed--a high laugh that I didn't like very much.

"So when did he start to fancy you?"

"I don't know," I said slowly. "But I'm engaged to Will. He'll get over this."

"Ah, is that so? Well then, tell us about his latest 'victory.' I've heard he died, then came back and killed Davy Jones?"

"Yes," I said, and related finding the Chest and having the heart of Davy Jones stolen by Norrington, and returning to the ship, and the kracken, and the terrible deed I did on the ship in a selfish hope of getting out alive.

"I kissed him," I said, feeling my face burn scarlet. "And while he was distracted, I--chained him... to the mast... when the kracken came. I thought it was the only way--I knew it wanted him, not any of us--I thought..." I trailed off, feeling the guilt and shame hurt me again.

"Well done," commented one of the twins. I ignored her.

"And we sailed to the end of the world to find him," I said. "And when we came back, we fought. He stabbed the heart of Davy Jones."

"And after what you did to him, he still loves you?" asked Emera. I shrugged a little.

"He's a good man," I said quietly, and for once they were silent. I slumped on the floor with the blanket around my shoulders, unable to untangle my feelings. The only thing I knew was that I loved Will... and perhaps I could consider the relationship between Jack and me friendship. He had forgiven me for what I had done, even when I was still unable to forgive myself. He had been like... a brother, a charming and wonderful friend, working alongside me and the rest of the crew the entire time, and still as unpredictable as the wind that filled the sails. He had promised to rescue me again, and I trusted him with all my heart. And now I did regret saying the things I had that day on the ship, because I knew he did care about me, even if love was one step too far...

Stuck in the middle of my knot of emotions, I found myself drifting away...

I half-awoke as I felt the strong arms of one of the girls carrying me and dumping me not very ceremoniously on a pile of blankets in another alcove. She had barely whispered something, making a stone door close the alcove, before I fell asleep again...

I awoke again as the door opened and Aryza stood above me, chanting something, then I fell back onto the blankets, realizing too late that they were putting sleeping spells on me...

* * *

"Elizabeth," whispered a familiar voice. "Elizabeth, wake up." 

"Jack," I mumbled. "I want to sleep."

"Oh, bugger," he muttered. "Sleeping spells..."

I felt his arms slide under my body and lift me up.

I found him carrying me away—I didn't know where we were going, but I knew he could not open the stone door of the alcove.

"Where're we going?" I asked groggily.

"Shh," he said quietly. "The _Pearl_."

"What?" I opened my eyes a little. "But... I was locked up..."

"I'll explain, be patient," said Jack in a hushed voice. "You'll have to be quiet for now. You wouldn't want to go back there, and they can make their increase their hearing tenfold in less time than it takes to get back to the ship, savvy?"

"Mm," I said, and before I could figure out what he had said, I felt overly drowsy again, and fell asleep.

* * *

I finally awoke for the last time to golden sunshine that streamed through a window by the bed I was on. I looked around and recognized Jack's cabin. I got out of his bed and walked to his desk curiously. I couldn't help looking a little at the maps and charts strewn over the desk, with various markings all over them. I noticed the compass lying on top of one of the maps and reached for it. I opened it slowly, not really knowing what to expect. The needle inside spun a little, then stopped, pointing to the door of the cabin. _Is Will on deck...? _I wondered, thinking that I should go see him and find out what had happened, but I stayed instead, my eyes roving over the charts of the Caribbean Sea. I still held the open compass in my hand, and turned it a little. The needle still pointed to the door, which suddenly burst open, revealing Jack with his hat in his hand, walking in. 

I snapped the compass shut.

"Curious, aren't you?" said Jack. "Didn't I tell you about you and curiosity?" I blushed a little, feeling embarrased for looking through the items on his desk.

"I'm only human," I said. "Savvy?"

Jack grinned roguishly.

"I suppose you'll want to know what happened?"

"Indeed," I said.

"I decided to explore this cove here," he stated simply, "and I at the very end I found an opening, and I managed to make it big enough. And I went through, and I found you there, and I realized where I was."

I noticed cuts and bruises on his arms, and felt my gratitude increase.

"I knew you would come," I said softly. "Do they know...?"

"Aye. I told them they said they would keep you for a day, and it was just about a day by then. I'd already got you here by then. So I could only fight them off--lucky they didn't think about that spell they'd put on you, because I had forgot too. So we're sailing now, and we have three days to get their bloody payment."

"But they're strong," I said. "It would be really hard to, you know, try to fight them. And they're witches as well."

"Darlin, I told you to trust me," he said, making his voice sound mock-offended. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"

I rolled my eyes playfully a little.

"But I did have some help," he admitted as an afterthought. "Your fiance came after a while."

I smiled, feeling warm inside. _Will's always there for me_. But somehow now I felt different towards him. My feelings for him seemed to have diminished, as if they had been stolen away by something or someone else. I started to panic.

"How can I ever thank--" I began to Jack.

"It was my fault, love," he insisted. "And my duty to get you out of there. I'm just glad you didn't do anything stupid... like your fiance might have done."

"Oh, honestly," I said halfheartedly, laughing and trying to shake off my unease--it didn't work. "Now if you'll excuse me, captain, I think I ought to be outside now."

"To work, then," he said, holding the door open for me. I stepped into the blazing sunlight and found someone descending from the rigging.

"I'll take that post," I said, and started to climb.

When I had reached the top of my set of ropes, I had a gorgeous view of the ocean around us, with Isla de Profecia shrinking into the distance. I glanced down at the deck as I worked with the ropes, where Jack had taken over the helm with his compass in hand. He looked smug and quite pleased with something. Smiling slightly, I watched as he turned the wheel with practiced strokes, then out of the corner of my eye I saw someone staring at me. I turned my head, feeling a little reluctant, and found Will with a strange, hard expression on his face. As soon as he realized I saw him, he looked away.

And all of a sudden, I knew exactly who had stolen my feelings for Will. Trying to calm my becoming-more-irritated mind, I took a few deep breaths, but only succeeded in making more panic rise.

_Who do I love? _


	6. Chapter 6: I'm sorry

**A/N: Hello, readers. Thank you for all your lovely reviews, you're all _wonderful, _I don't know how I could continue without my dear reviewers. :)**

**Disclaimer: Only Disney has the honor of being able to claim PotC.**

**Spoiler: Sniff, sniff. **

* * *

I had stopped moving and stared down at Will. A sail flapped noiselessly behind me. 

_So..._ said the annoying "inner voice" that, when it did come, never helped at all. _Who _do_ you love?_

_Be quiet_, I snapped.

I had no explanation for why I was in such shock. It had to have started at least a few days ago--I couldn't have just suddenly started to lov--have feelings for--Ja--I stopped myself, unable to acknowledge it. I _don't_, I told myself firmly, but still I knew that I did.

_I trust him, that's all_, I thought, remembering the words I had said to Norrington on the deck of the _Pearl. _The words I had said about... I couldn't think about him. I didn't want to.

My thoughts inevitably and eventually drifted... to Jack. Captain Jack Sparrow. I trusted him. I had faith in him. I could even say he was a wonderful person, a wonderful pirate. A good man. I had always known it.

And I had to admit to myself that he did love me.

He had even forgiven me, at the end.

I sighed. Why couldn't life be simpler? And it was anything but simple now. If fate had already made the decision of not letting Jack get whatever he was planning to, I had three days left to live.

It suddenly occured to me that Will and I still had to be married. I felt a terrible twinge of guilt. Will loved me. He cared about me. He was my _fiance_, and I was supposed to be _married _to him. I knew he loved me with all his heart and he must want me to love him back. And I loved Jack now. I had finally decided to admit it.

Then, with no warning, with no explanation, it dawned on me. If Will were to find out... and it would be all too obvious... what would happen to Jack? Will had already fought Jack several times in the past, and had almost succeeded in killingbefore. What if he had extra motivation this time? What if he discovered that Jack had captured my heart?

At that moment a strong gust of wind pounded on my set of ropes. In my terror and shock I let go of the rigging, and felt the wind push my fainting body into the water.

* * *

When I woke up, I was lying on the deck of the _Pearl. _By the angle of the sunlight I could tell it was late afternoon, though most of the sunlight was blocked from my view, as both Jack and Will were hovering over me. 

"Elizabeth," sighed Jack. "Thank the goddess you're safe."

"What happened?" asked Will, concern coloring his voice. "One moment I saw you there, then you were gone. We searched everywhere, and we directed the ship back. Jack saw you in the water. You were drowning."

"I don't know..." I whispered. "The wind--it was strong... I let go on accident. Are we behind schedule now?"

"Only a little," Jack assured me. "Will, could you please man the helm for a while?"

Will walked away to the helm slowly, glancing back at us as he went.

"Jack," I said, embarrased. "I'm sorry about having to be rescued again... I don't know what happened..." I felt myself blushing furiously.

"Don't worry, love," he said firmly. "Just make sure you're all right. We have a little over two days left, we'll be there soon. But all you need to worry 'bout is your own safety, savvy?"

After a while he added quietly, "I can't afford to lose you." I stared at him, feeling my heart beat a little faster.

"Jack, can I have a word please?" It was Will, approaching us.

"Yes, of course," said Jack slowly.

I stood up quickly.

"I think I'll ask Tia Dalma for one of her elixirs," I said. Will nodded at me as the two pirates strolled to the bow. I started to descend the steps.

There was a slightly awkward pause before Will spoke. I could hear him from where I stood.

"I've noticed that you've been spending... more time than is normal with my fiancé."

I froze, turning only my head so I could see them. Jack was staring at the choppy waves, his face blank and impassive.

"I think… that Elizabeth may be warming up to you," Will said. Jack continued to watch the water, betraying no hint of emotion.

"Go on," he said. I strained my ears.

"She was devastated when you were… swallowed by the kracken."

Silence.

"The way you look at her… It's as if she's yours," Will said.

"She's not though," Jack said. There was a long pause.

"I saw you kiss her that day," Will said at last. I could feel my face warm as I thought of the day I both betrayed Will and harmed Jack.

There was silence again, and Jack sighed and looked up.

"I love her, Will," he said quietly. "That's all I can say."

"And does she love you back?"

"Well, I wouldn't know, would I? I'd like to know, though, just an answer, it doesn't matter which it is, but sometimes knowing is just better than not, no matter what answer it is… and of course I know she's not mine anyhow... savvy?"

After a moment he added, "I'm sure she's still yours, though."

"So I would think," Will said slowly. "I want you to stay away from Elizabeth now."

"'Course," said Jack, his voice carefully controlled; it seemed as if he was trying hard not to show any emotion, but I could tell that he was overcome with it. "I'd expected that…As you wish. After all, she is your bonny lass." I thought I saw a tiny, fleeting flash of sympathy in Will's eyes.

"I just don't want it to hurt in the end," Will said softly. "For any of us." _Oh, Will, _I thought. _What are you doing? Can't you see he's hurt already?_

"Either way, she's your bride for certain," Jack said blankly, and adjusted his hat.

"I'll do the sails for you," Will offered lamely.

"Oh, no, I think I will," said Jack. "I feel like climbing in the wind today." He turned his face away walked towards the mast, shifting a coil of ropes. Tears stung my eyes. _Jack, I'm so sorry!_ I thought, yet I knew that as long as Will was here, I could never love Jack—never in the way that he loved me. It wasn't called love if I couldn't do it freely.

"Oh, and Will?" he said, turning around again, his voice gentler than I had ever heard before. "I'm sorry."

He turned and continued to the mast, looking as if someone had placed an enormous burden upon him.


	7. Chapter 7: I don't need rest!

**A/N: I know the last chapter was sad, even I have to admit that. And sorry this took a while. But thanks for all the reviews! Also, remember that this has nothing to do w/AWE! **

**Disclaimer: PotC is Disney's. If I owned it, it would be totally Sparrabeth:)**

* * *

_What am I going to do?! I love... _both _of them! I'm to be married to Will soon, but I can't pretend to love him completely for the rest of my life!_

I stumbled into Tia Dalma's cabin a few minutes later, feeling terrible for Jack, and terrible because I could tell I was coming down with a nasty cold. Tia Dalma immediately saw my dripping state and handed me a mug.

Realizing that I was actually quite cold, I cupped my hands around the mug and felt the warmth seep into my body before I took a few grateful sips. It tasted like herb tea mixed with rum--an interesting and somehow delicious drink. Tia Dalma poured a sweet-smelling oil onto her hands and rubbed some on the cut on my throat and the hollow at the base of my throat.

"Against the illnessess that may befall you," she said. "You will need rest, of course."

"Jack and Will are working harder to be on time," I insisted. "For me. I want to help. I need to."

"You are troubled," Tia Dalma said. I sighed, and sat down on a corner of her bed as she stirred a bunch of dried flowers in a woven basket.

"Tia Dalma," I said slowly. "Have you ever fallen in love before?" She looked up.

"You _are_ troubled," she said intuitively. "You are in love with two people. A man with whom you are engaged, and a man you cannot--a man you are forbidden to love."

"Forbidden," I said. Forbidden, yes. I shuddered to think of the consequences. They both loved me in return; they would kill each other for me. I felt horrible.

"I don't deserve them," I whispered. "Will has risked his life a thousand times to save me, and I'm here with my love divided between him and Jack. And I don't deserve Jack, either. What have I done to him before...?"

I looked at her desperately. "Tia Dalma, I'm going to fix this, but can I trust you to...?"

"It will be safe with me," she promised.

"Thank you. I can't bear to think what will happen to Jack if Will finds out... I can't pretend to love Will like I did before forever."

"Yes," said Tia Dalma. "But it is unfair that love for someone seems to always have to be restrained."

* * *

It occured to me as I walked slowly to my cabin that she had never answered the question--but from what she said, I could tell that she _had_ fallen in love before. And it didn't seem as if it had ended all too happily. 

But I had enough troubles of my own. I stepped into the cabin and immediately realized that I was not tired at all, so I appeared on deck a few moments later. I had to fix this, but already I could feel the hurt. _I don't want to do this... _

"Will," I said, trying my best to smile genuinely at him as I walked to where he stood pulling on ropes. _You're supposed to love him, _I told myself.

"Elizabeth, you should be resting!" he protested. I sighed inwardly. Hadn't anyone noticed I wasn't a "damsel in distress" anymore? Hadn't anyone noticed I had fought alongside the crew through the final battle to kill Davy Jones?

"I'm fine," I told him. "I came to help you. You must be tired."

"Only a little," he assured. He seemed to have started believing that I had no romantic relationship with Jack at all, and had relaxed a little.

"I can't wait for this to be over," I sighed, trying to sound dreamy and convince myself that I _was_ dreamy. "We'll be married soon."

"If you'll still have me," said Will, evidently remembering that long-ago conversation we had had in the prison of Port Royal.

"Of course," I said, and all of a sudden it crashed down on me in an overwhelming wave. It was as if someone had really stabbed me in the heart--the pain was too hard to bear. I had really said it. I had really given it up. I had even considered breaking Will's heart just to have Jack. But of course, it would put him in utter danger, but did I have to hurt myself to convince Will?!

"Elizabeth?" Will asked. "Are you all right? Are you _sure_ you don't need to go below?"

"I'm fine," I said, leaning heavily on the side of the ship.

He looked at me doubtfully, but said, "As you wish."

"I'll go trim the sails," I said slowly.

"Be careful," he said. "Last time was close. I can't lose you again."

"Don't worry," I said.

He smiled. "I love you, Elizabeth."

I tried to smile back, but I could tell it was weak.

"I love you, too," I whispered. It was so hard saying it; the words stopped halfway in my throat and I fought to get them out. I couldn't put Jack in danger like this. How many times was it already?

I climbed the rigging slowly and carefully, clearing my head as I went to make sure I didn't do something stupid again.

A long silence descended on the _Pearl _as I started to work. I heard Jack humming "A Pirate's Life for Me" at the helm, watching the horizon. How often I stood so close to that spot, watching that same horizon. It was almost night now, the sky a dusty purple above and crimson at the mysterious line where the sea met the sky. The stars sparkled above me, faithfully watching over us.

Was it possible that my father could be under that same sky, seeing the same exact stars, from so far away? What would he think if he knew his daughter was not dead, but alive and (for the most part) well, a crew member aboard the ship of one of the most infamous pirates in the Caribbean?

And I could tell how hard it was for Jack. How hard it was for pirates to live now--and why Jacik wanted to be immortal. And why exactly Jack wished so much for me to fall in love with him. Pirates were now outcasts in society--we didn't have any other way to live. _We're human too! _I thought. And I could see how hard it was, how desperately he wanted to be someone, to have someone, to have a place in the world...

And if I could tell him what he wanted. _Can't I just let him know? _But I knew I couldn't--it would be a miracle if Will did not find out.

_I will change this_, I thought. _I'll stop loving--_But the thought of him being alone in the world was too much to bear.

I was just about to secure a rope when something hit the starboard side hard. The _Pearl_ rocked violently, throwing me off guard.

"We've reached the destination!" I heard Jack yelling to someone on deck.

"Drop anchor!" Anamaria screamed.

"What's this thing under us?" roared Gibbs.

I saw Jack open his mouth to answer, but at that moment the "thing" slammed another attack on the starboard side, and everyone was thrown sideways. I pulled out my knife to keep a hold on the mast, but my feet lost their grip.

I kicked hard, hoping to find something to hold on to. I was at the highest point on the ship, which was highly inconveniently tilted on its side. Something sharp and jagged rose out of the water right underneath me, and I was hanging with one hand onto a single rope, dangling precariously.


	8. Chapter 8: The Jaw

**A/N: Go Sparrabeth! Reviews are good. **

**Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney.**

* * *

I took a deep breath. _You're going to be fine_. 

But of course I wasn't. I was going to fall onto one of those spikes--suddenly one of them moved--and I would die. And both Will and Jack would be heartbroken...

_Elizabeth! It's no time to be thinking about that!_

"What _is_ it?" I hollered to Jack. He didn't see me; he must have thought it was someone on deck.

"The Jaw," he shouted. "This isn't good, but don't do anything not good because it will make our not-good situation more not-good, so that we will be in a very-not-good situation! Savvy?"

I sighed.

"Speak normal for once, Captain, and what do you mean by not good?"

Jack looked up and for the first time ever I saw a trace of fear in him.

"_Elizabeth_!"

"What?!"

"Don't do anything--stay right there!"

"As if I'm really capable of doing anything right now," I muttered, swinging my legs a little. My knife was still in my hand. I would have to do _something_, though. The rope wasn't going to hold me for very long.

"I didn't hear what you just said!" I shouted, and turned away. _I'm getting myself out of this. _

There was an enormous roar coming from below me--from the Jaw. I braced myself and leaned all my weight away from the rope--away from the thing that was keeping my alive. Suddenly, I pulled hard with the hand holding the rope, bringing myself back to it. The rope swayed.

_Good. _

I continued the awkward motion until the rope could swing a considerable amount. The sharp rock-like things beneath me lunged out, nearly reaching me. I stared at the surface and realized--it was a sea monster of some sort, it was only a shell on the outside, not rocks. I gripped the rope with my feet as well, and stuck my knife between my teeth, biting down hard. With my free hand I pulled out my gun.

"ELIZABETH!" shouted Will. "What do you think you're doing?"

_Why is he always interfering during inconvenient times?! _The fact that I had thought of something like that scared me, told me that I was supposed to feel grateful that Will was looking out for me, but he _had_ broken many conversations between Jack and me before--

_NOW ISN'T THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT THAT!_

"Will, shut it and let me do this!" I attempted to shout, but it all came out garbled because of the knife. I pointed the gun down at one of the spikes. Above me, a few rope fibers snapped.

"Elizabeth, it's not the best time! The rope!" I briefly wondered how he could see so far up. A few more fibers snapped.

I cocked the gun.

"The rope's breaking on top!"

I pulled the trigger.

The shell of the Jaw shattered where the bullet had hit it. Crimson blood flowed from the wound; the Jaw gave a low groaning noise and stopped moving so much. Many of the spikes sank into the water. But of course it wasn't dead. Suddenly some more fibers snapped. I looked down as the rope swayed. Some spikes were still underneath me--I couldn't afford to fall yet.

There was much screaming on deck as the crew battled more spikes from below. A few more fibers snapped, and I realized it was almost too late.

"Hold on, Lizzie!" Jack shouted.

"Will everyone leave me alone for a bit!" I screamed through the knife, and leaned forward, fibers snapping all the while.

It was like rushing through a tunnel. The wind bit at my face, but my momentum was strong enough to keep me going. I heard the tiny cracks of the rope as it broke more and more.

There were only a few fibers left now. I rushed toward the second mast, hanging onto the rope with one hand and my feet. My eyes widened as the mast came toward me, getting closer and closer... in less than a second I had dropped the gun, pulled the knife from my mouth, and stabbed the wood as hard as I could.

A loud crack sounded. I swung my feet around carefully. A knife in the wood wouldn't hold me for long, either. I found a foothold and sank my feet into them gratefully. I was still holding one half of the rope in one hand. I wrenched the knife from the wood and managed to climb down to the deck, where most of the crew were still fighting.

"Run out the cannons!" shouted Gibbs.

Jack reached me first.

"I'm all right," I said immediately. Will was approaching quickly.

"Go," I said urgently.

"Lizzie, that was rather good, you improved our situation--"

"Jack! He can't see you with me, tell me later, go away, go!" I looked at him apolegetically, but he must have also seen that it was important. He left to try to man the helm.

"Elizabeth," breathed Will, glancing at Jack as he walked away. "Are you--"

"Yes, I feel fine! I'm perfect... Flawless. Impeccably--er... brilliant. I'm feeling great. Will you and Jack please stop worrying about me!" His face hardened at the mention of Jack worrying about me.

"I--" I said. "I'm going to go help load the cannons, er--" I forced myself to give him a quick kiss as I hurried below.

"Three... two..." someone shouted. I loaded a cannon quickly.

"One!"

"Fire!"

"_Fire_!"

"Fire all!" I tried not to notice the noise, or the great bellow of the Jaw, or the warm blood spurting out.

We managed to get the Jaw weak enough to get out of it's grip, and Jack maneuvered the _Pearl_ to the opposite shore of the island.

"Jack, I'm coming," I said, as he pulled a few crew members off the ship with him. I climbed out.

"Come along, then," he said. He pulled out his compass and started walking.

"I guess they did have a good enough reason to be so vicious," he muttered.

"What?"

"Them. The bloody twins. They mentioned my leaving them on a deserted island with some beast. It was this island--that beast."

"Jack, why on Earth would you do that?" I asked exasperatedly. Jack always landed on both feet, always had some way of getting out of anything, but did he have to get into so much trouble?

"Look here," he said. "We were in some battle with someone doing some very stupid things. And in the middle of said battle with said someone doing said stupid things, I noticed that the said stupid things we were doing were _very _stupid, so I tried to get them to stop the said battle with said someone in which we were doing said stupid things, but they did not listen, so technically they were getting themselves into the mess, but admittedly it was my fault because I did not help them stop said battle with said someone, and left them here on this island with the Jaw, and the said someone we were battling ran off with the thing for which we were battling said battle. Savvy?"

I paused a little in my walking, then nodded and continued.

"Jack," I said slowly. "I heard your conversation with Will."

"Curiosity," he sighed. "I thought so."

"Jack," I said in a more insistent tone. "We can't be together. He'll kill you!"

"Lizzie, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"

"_Jack. _I'm serious. We can't--I can't do this to you."

"Elizabeth."

I looked up at him sadly.

"He'll find out. I can't let you be in danger like this!"

"Elizabeth, I love you," he whispered.

I stared at him, tears brimming in my eyes. My heart started to beat faster, I felt a blush seeping into my cheeks but I also felt a warm, sweet flutter somewhere in my chest. I already knew what he had said, but hearing him say it... if it were a more normal day, I would have smiled all day. Yet I felt as if I were losing something. I knew I couldn't let Jack know, couldn't encourage him, but I wanted so badly to have him. Yet how could I without hurting him?! _I have to give it up, I can't do this! _But I did.

My voice was even quieter than his. "I love you, too, Jack."


	9. Chapter 9: Conversations

**A/N: Now that I'm on vacation, I can update more quickly! (Dances gleefully)**

**Disclaimer: PotC belongs to... (bugle sound) Disney! Haha I just had this image of that Disney logo castle thing with the shooting star and everything. **

* * *

Jack stopped in his tracks. The few other crew members drew ahead of us, walking in the direction Jack had pointed out, into a small jungle. The air was hot and still, despite that it was night. 

"Lizzie." His voice sounded astonished.

"Jack." I smiled at him weakly through my tears. "Yes, I love you."

"You... do?"

"Yes." He smiled his roguish smile now, the one I was so used to, the one I loved... He put his arms around me, pulled me closer. His lips were less than an ince away from mine. I could feel his warm, intoxicating breath on my face, could see every single eyelash that rimmed his dark, alluring eyes.

I closed my eyes and leaned toward him. I couldn't remember when exactly our lips touched, but it was a long time before they parted from the long and deep kiss.

"I've loved you ever since you burned all the rum," he whispered, chuckling. "How long... for you...?"

"I don't know," I said. "I don't know. But I realized... this morning. After I left your cabin."

"But Jack," I said stubbornly after a pause, "you can't be seen with me!"

"Well then," he said, his voice holding a touch of annoyance now, "I s'pose we'll just have to spend the rest of our lives playing a child's make-believe game, then, and you can go marry the whelp and lie to him every day saying you love him, and on his gravestone you can carve 'beloved husband' and it'll be a lie to him even when he's dead!"

"Jack!" I said, unable to admit that I was in love with both on them, "No, he--I don't--I didn't... mean it like that..."

"Course you didn't mean it like that," he said. "I wouldn't have said it if you did, because if you _did_ mean it like that, then I would be stating the obvious. And since it's just the two of us having this conversation, I wouldn't need to state the obvious because there wouldn't be anyone to state the obvious to, seeing as you would obviously know what you meant, and I would know, too, because if I didn't I wouldn't be presented the choice of whether or not to state the obvious! Savvy?"

I didn't even try to figure out what he meant this time.

"I think it'd be a good idea to continue," I said, starting to walk again.

"Excellent idea," he agreed.

"So... why _did_ you say that?" I asked.

"Because I was wondering what you _did_ mean by that."

"I meant what I said," I said. "If Will finds out, he'll kill you, and I can't let that happen!"

"Well, now that I know he'll kill me, I can let him find out and I'll be ready."

"That's awfully reckless, if you wanted to know."

"I'm a reckless person," he said impatiently. "Pirate, after all."

"I don't want you to risk it," I said slowly.

"I'm a risk-taking person, too," he added. I sighed.

"I refuse to put you in danger."

"And you're going to let yourself live unhappily with stupid bloody Will?" he asked incredulously. "What kind of a pirate _are_ you?"

"One with a more... noble attitude than yours!" I said fiercely, and immediately regretted it. _Very noble--chaining him to the mast to guarantee that you would come out alive--very noble, eh? _

"Jack," I said quietly, "Let's not talk about this now."

"Suit yourself, but you started it."

I smiled weakly. The crew members had stopped to wait for us in a clearing in the jungle.

"This is the spot," Jack announced grandly. There was a little murmuring. Jack strolled to the center of the clearing, removed a rock that lay there, and gestured for the crew to dig.

"Jack, don't you think that's a bit of an obvious hiding spot?" I asked skeptically.

"But I highly doubt anyone would come here," said Jack. "You can't get here unless you already know where it is."

"How many islands like that _are_ there?" I asked.

"More than you need to know, love," he said with a wink. I ran forward to help with the digging, and soon we hit something solid.

"Please tell me it's something really worth coming for," I said to Jack as we hauled the chest out. "I'm not looking forward to dying at the hands of Emera and Aryza because 'the payment isn't fair' or something like that."

"Must I tell you once again that I'm Captain Jack Sparrow?" he asked exasperatedly. "I told you to trust me!"

"I do!" I protested. "It's just that--"

"Listen, I refuse to put you in danger," he said. I sighed, but couldn't help smiling a little at those words.

"All right," I said. "All right."

Jack fumbled among the many trinkets in his hair until he finally found a small key, which he inserted into the lock of the chest. He lifted the lid of the chest, and we gather around to look in eagerly.

It was like a classic story. Mounds of gold coins and jewels lay inside, sparkling in the faint moonlight. Ragetti reached forward to grab some, but Jack stopped him.

"You don't want to be doing that," he said, grinning. "There's stuff there that can burn out your eyes when you touch them, even through a piece o' cloth or something." Ragetti looked shocked and backed away.

"So how are you going to get it out?" I asked teasingly. "Simply by being Captain Jack Sparrow?"

"More or less," agreed Jack. He snapped the chest shut and locked it again, tied the key to another trinket in his hair, and stood up.

"Ragetti, Pintel," he said. "I would like you two to _carry_ this chest back to the ship." I opened my mouth in astonishment and closed it again. The two obediently lifted the chest together and walked away.

"See, darling?" Jack said smugly. I stared.

"Oh," I said at last.

"Never would have thought of that, eh?" He smirked. We started to walk back.

"Who were you and the twins fighting the 'said battle' last time you were here?" I asked.

"Curious _again_?" asked Jack. "Captain Merlow."

"You're not talking about...?"

"The man from the prophecy, yes."

"Don't tell me you were fighting over his gun?"

"I won't tell you we were fighting over his gun."

I stared at him exasperatedly. "I should have known you'd want something vile like that. And you asked the twins to help you with that?"

"Yep."

"Don't tell me another reason you want to kill Merlow is because you want the gun..."

"I won't tell you another reason I want to kill Merlow is because I want the gun."

"Jack!"

"_Because_ I _don't_ want his gun! There's only one way to kill Merlow, remember? And if you kill Merlow that way, the spell on the gun is broken, so there wouldn't be any point in kililng him for the gun because in killing him the gun is just an ordinary gun. Savvy?"

"Oh," I muttered. "Right."

I climbed onto the ship, followed by Jack, and immediately found Will watching us.

_Oh, bugger_.

"Will!" I said, trying to smile. "Why didn't you come? I was wondering where you were!"

Will pulled me into a kiss, whispering, "I just remembered that as captain of a ship, Jack can perform our marriage right now on this ship. Or on the island, if you'd like. Our wedding was postponed anyways, why not now?"

"What? No." I said it so suddenly and strongly that I surprised myself as well. "No--I mean ye--I mean--I'm not ready..."

_NO! I'm not going to marry you! I'm sorry, Will, but I don't love you anymore! I don't want to be your wife!_

"Elizabeth?"

I shook myself out of my thoughts.

"I'm not ready," I repeated, hoping desperately that Will could not read my mind and trying to find something to say. "In an hour or so..."

"Is that a yes?" asked Will. I suddenly realized what I had done. _No! It's not a yes! _

I nodded.

"On the ship then?" I said slowly.

"As you wish," said Will. I feigned a surprisingly radiant smile.

"I'll just--go--get ready--er..." I ran below deck and burst into my cabin in tears.

_What have I done?!?! There's no way out of this!_

I looked up suddenly and found Jack standing in the doorway.

"I assume you are having a fit of anguished emotions?" he said. _There's no way out of this. _

I slowly resigned myself to this fate.

"Jack," I whispered, staring at the wall, unable to look at him. "Captain. Get yourself ready."

"What?"

"After we set sail, all right?"

"Lizzie, darling, what are you talking about?"

"Will and I are going to get married."


	10. Chapter 10: I owe you the truth

Disclaimer: As always, Disney owns PotC.

A/N: I'm impressed by and I really appreciate the reviews! Um.. I skipped most of the wedding because... I honestly don't know the procedure.

* * *

Jack scrutinized my face carefully. 

"As I said, what kind of pirate _are_ you?"

"Jack..." I whispered carefully. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. But I owe you that much--I can't lose you."

"You don't owe me anything, love. And I refuse to lose _you_."

I shook my head. "Just... just go--I'm sorry. There's no way out of this."

"And you were the one who wanted to fight," muttered Jack as he slowly walked away.

* * *

I managed to find the dress that I had worn the day my wedding had been ruined by Lord Beckett--the only dress that I had brought aboard. I had brought it specially for this occasion. 

Once again I couldn't figure out my own emotions. I did love Jack, but did I love Will at all anymore? Yes, perhaps I did still shelter a little bit of love for him--but it was only that small, only a memory of when I loved him with all my heart, nothing more.

_After this wedding, I'm never going to wear this dress again_, I though bitterly.

* * *

I didn't really hear anything that Jack said on deck. It was raining, and I was glad that the water could hide my tears. I wasn't listening to anything but the sound of the rain pattering on deck--like a thousand tears to mark the sorrow I felt that day as I stood under the sails of black. 

Why was I feeling so unhappy? I was supposed to be in love with Will, especially after all he had done for me... I gave an inward sigh and stared at my hands.

"I do," said Will solemnly. I gave a silent gasp. It was my turn. I heard the question, a faint sound that came to me over a long distance. The words stuck in my throat, refusing to come out.

"I..." I whispered.

_Just say it! Say it, and it'll be over! _

But I couldn't. I could feel the hot tears sliding down my face.

_It's too late! You're doing this for Jack! _

For Jack.

_Is is possible that it'll be even better if I make both of us happy by not marrying Will?!_

Perhaps it really was too late.

"Elizabeth? Are you all right?"

I nodded, then shook my head.

"I--I--"

"Elizabeth!"

"No!" I shouted at last, sobbing uncontrollably. "No, I don't! I don't take you as my husband! No--I'm sorry--I can't--"

There was a very long silence. Will was staring at me, his face masklike. Jack was furtively trying to hide a smile. I stood helplessly, shocked by what I had just said. I was drenched. My hair and dress clung to my skin. The rain washed away my tears, but could not stop fresh ones from coming.

"Will," I whispered. "I'm so sorry--"

"Elizabeth," he said quietly, "Perhaps now isn't the best time--do you need to rest?"

"No, I don't! I'm fine--no--I'm sorry, I didn't mean--"

He said nothing.

"Will, please forgive me."

"Will," I said again, desperately. "Let's start over..."

But he walked past me and descended the stairs. At the very bottom he looked back up at me.

"I wanted to let you know, anyhow," he said. "I love you. I will always love you, no matter what."

"Will, I'm sorry!" I cried. "I can't--I don't--"

"Captain Sparrow," he continued, in a cold and piercing voice, "I thought you said you would stay away."

He had already disappeared into the hold. His words fell like daggers through the air. I stared for a long time.

_I owe him at least the truth. _

Even if he already knew.

Even if it hurt.

"Will," I whispered, my tears increasing tenfold. "I'm not lying to you anymore. I don't love you."

* * *

_I feel like a monster. _

I was standing at the bow, watching the waves move back and forth.

Back and forth.

A timeless rhythm with no beginning, no end.

"Elizabeth."

I turned.

"Jack." I turned to the waves again, and Jack came and stood by me.

"I feel terrible," I said.

"I'm sorry about..."

"Jack.." I said slowly. "I did it... for us."

Truthfully, I had been thinking that perhaps doing this would be enough to make up for what I had done to him the first time we kissed.

Maybe it _was_ enough, or maybe not.

Suddenly, without warning I pulled him in an embrace and his lips fervently met mine.

"I'm beginning to get scared when you kiss me," Jack said when at last we parted.

I found it amazing that I could still smile.

But I was on the _Pearl_, with Captain Jack Sparrow. And hardly anything mattered anymore.


	11. Chapter 11: Bargaining

Disclaimer: Disney owns PotC.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Digression: Eating strawberries is very inspirational.

Chappie spoiler: Wow, they learn finding the median of 2 numbers! (Ah, going back to elementary math...)

* * *

We sailed with the wind that day--Day Two of my three days. I wasn't at all worried about the three days issue; I was sure we were going to be there on time, especially with our speed. 

I spent the entire day by Jack's side, politely avoiding Will, who luckily didn't seem to care much. There was certain pleasure I felt in simply standing there with Jack. I couldn't explain it to myself, why I had fallen for Jack over Will. But now that I had, I enjoyed every moment of it. Was there ever an explanation anyways?

In the late afternoon, the clouds parted to reveal the golden sun hanging low in the crimson sky. I could see the tiny sillouette of a strip of land on the horizon.

"Jack!" I exclaimed. "We're here already?"

"Darling, I present to you once again, Isla de Profecia."

"Did you bring enough for this time's payment as well?" I asked, and immediately added, "Oh, of _course _you did. Forgive me, I forgot that you're Jack Sparrow."

"Captain, luv," he said, smirking, "Never forget that I'm _Captain_ Jack Sparrow."

I decided to cheerfully ignore that last sentence.

* * *

Jack and I rowed into the twins' cavern with the chest a little while after the stars started to sparkle in the night sky. Shafts of moonlight descended through the openings in the roof, lighting the cavern with a silvery glow. The twins were arranging the furniture and treasure by making them fly across the chamber, directed by their fingers. 

"Oh look here, Emera," said fair-haired Aryza in an amused tone of voice, dropping a chair. It snapped in half, but Aryza laid her hand on it and it immediately became one again. "They made it in two days."

"I'm not entirely surprised," said Emera, laughing. "Especially after holding Elizabeth captive."

She stared at us for a moment, making me feel uncomfortable again.

"Well, I s'pose you've finally got some manner of luck with a woman, Jack."

Jack paused, then said, "I don't believe that's quite the topic of this meeting, but thank you all the same."

"All right, then," said Aryza. "What've you got in that chest?"

"Please don't tell me it's gold," sighed Emera. "We have quite enough of that."

"Well, if you don't want it," said Jack. "You could give us another three days and Lizzie and I'll go get something not quite as dazzling."

"Oh, hand it over."

Jack opened the chest and laid it on the ground.

"Feast your eyes, but I don't suggest you touch them." As Aryza and Emera looked into the chest, Jack added, as an afterthought, "I mean, under normal circumstances it wouldn't have much of an impact on me if you got killed by one of those powerful objects in there--plus I would get to keep those powerful objects, but we're here for some help and if you got killed by one of those powerful objects that I'd like to keep, we wouldn't get the help, so I have to warn you. Savvy?"

Aryza smirked.

"How do you propose we use these... powerful objects?"

"I believe you are witches," said Jack calmly.

Emera muttered something, and one of the gold objects--a goblet, lifted out of the chest on its own.

"I s'pose that works," she said. "Do you mind if we ask you to tell us what these _do_?"

"I don't know what they do," said Jack impatiently. I sighed exasperatedly. "But there's a bunch of parchment on the bottom, if you want to look through that."

_Now that I know they've got a good reason to be so angry at Jack, they don't that bad, _I though, sitting down on a jumble of stones and watching the twins lift the gold objects one by one and place them on the ground. Finally, they reached the bottom and took out a sheaf of aged parchment with writing on it. They scanned the pages.

"These," said Emera, "prove to be far more informative than you."

"Ah," said Jack, "but _I_ informed you of the informative things, so which is more informative?"

Aryza pondered this with mock-concentration before saying smugly, "The parchment."

"The golden goblet," read Emera, "turns water into a liquid that destroys everything in its path, until one uses the goblet to scoop it up again."

"Hm," said Aryza. "Useful. All right, apparently the chest holds valuable enough items. What kind of help do you need?"

"Wait," said Jack. "Consider the amount of valuable and powerful items we have brought. I could have kept at least three-fourths of it and you'd still have enough. So, I'd say that judging by the look of it--"

"Honestly," said Aryza. "It's enough to pay for two favors--the one that you neglected to pay for years ago, and the one you are asking now."

"Judging by the look of it," Jack continued, "It's worth at least... _eight_ favors."

Emera raised an eyebrow and said, "All right, three, perhaps."

I agreed with Jack. "Seven, then."

Aryza shot me a look. "Well, two against two, I s'pose. If you insist, we'll make it four."

"Six."

"_Five_. No more."

There was a pause. Jack was obviously thinking of a way to make this more favorable.

Finally, he said cheerfully, "Five and a half!"

"Jack--" I began.

"Five and a half is fine," said Aryza. "So after you've paid off the one you neglected to pay... it'll be four."

"Four and a half!" protested Jack.

"This isn't getting us anywhere!" Emera and I shouted simultaneously.

"Four," said Aryza firmly. "After all, you waited so long... What do they call it? Ah, yes, _interest_."

"This is awfully organized for pirates," I muttered.

"Four," repeated Aryza. "Since you just asked for another one, the one you asked for two days ago, it's three now."

"We have finally reached a conclusion, then," said Jack, once again impatient.

"No," said Aryza pointedly. "You have failed to specify how we may be of help."

"Erm... right. Well, for basics, I'd like you to sail with the crew on the _Pearl_ as we look for Captain Merlow."

"Ah, I understand," said Emera in a bored tone. "Fine, we'll go."

"Come along, then."

I stood and the four of us rowed back to the _Pearl_. The sight of Jack in the rowboat with four females accompanying him was rather amusing.

We reached the ship and climbed aboard. Several crew members were on deck for whatever reason.

"Everyone," annouced Jack, "I'd like to introduce Aryza and Emera, who will be temporarily part of our crew. Get sailing now."

"How ceremonial," I said, grinning.

I turned and found Will staring at Jack and me.

"Oi, to work!" barked Jack.

"Elizabeth," said Will in a level tone, "may I have a word?"


	12. Chapter 12: More Conversations

A/N: Short chapter, apologies. And the best quote in there isn't mine. :( But I got it from "Howl's Moving Castle"

Disclaimer: Disney owns PotC, and the quote in there. (Can you guess which one it is?) I think I own the Jaw and the "wedding." :)

* * *

I froze. 

_He wants to talk to me. I've had such a fine day and now…! Oh, why does he want to talk to me? Why…?!_

"Oh—o-of course," I said, giving him a small smile. He led me to the stern of the _Pearl _and looked at me worriedly.

"Elizabeth… I just wanted to ask, what have I done?"

I looked up.

"What? Nothing—what do you mean? You haven't done anything—"

"Then why…"

"Will," I said, feeling a twinge of sympathy, "Don't ask me this! I didn't do this on purpose—"

"But this is where you heart truly lies?"

_Why do they all ask that question? _

I sighed. "It is." It suddenly occurred to me that perhaps I would be asked this question again… _No. Jack will never have to ask me this question. Never._

"I apologize for anything that I may have done…"

"Will, no!" I said. "No, it isn't your fault, it isn't anyone's fault… Oh, I don't know!" I shook my head.

"You don't deserve me," I said after a while. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve someone like me. Find someone else. I can't—there's bound to be someone else with a much better heart than mine. There's bound to be someone who's better—"

"You're mistaken," he said quietly. "If you had the wickedest heart on Earth, I would still love you."

"Oh, Will—"

What could I do? I was rather embarrased and overwhelmed by this and the fact that I once thought the same of him. Yet I knew I could never go back.

"A heart's a heavy burden," he whispered. "Perhaps I understand Davy Jones better now."

"Will, no! Don't _ever_ do that!"

"But I've never had to carry mine, really," he continued without paying attention to me, "It's always been yours…"

"You're wasting it on me," I said slowly. "Take it back and give it to someone who will treasure it forever!"

"No," he said simply. "It has always been and will always be yours."

"But don't live like this, in misery, forever—" I stopped—I was the one causing the misery. "Will… I'm so sorry. But it's over. I can't go back. I'm sorry."

He took one last sorrowful look at me and walked away.

* * *

"My intuitive knowledge of the female gender tells me that you're troubled." 

"Jack, you didn't listen to that entire conversation, did you?" I turned from the stern to see Jack sidling over.

"I did not. I know you're troubled because of _my intuitve knowledge of the female gender_!"

I sighed heavily. "I just can't decide whether I've done the right thing or not. I can't decide what's right at all."

"Are you saying, luv, that telling me you loved me was a bad choice?"

"Jack...You know that's not what I meant.," I said firmly, staring at the dark waves lapping onto the sides of the _Pearl. _"And, oh honestly, why can't everyone all just be the same? Like the waves... they don't have to be all unique to be beautiful."

"Because if everyone were just the same," he said in a beguiling voice, moving closer, "there wouldn't be you, luv."

I couldn't help smiling a little as I turned to him.

"So what did dear William want?"

"Since when have you been so _curious_?"

"That doesn't answer the question."

"Let's leave both of them unanswered," I said.

Jack started humming "A Pirate's Life for Me."

"Will you never stop singing that song?" I asked.

"I will never stop singing that song," said Jack. "A pirate's life for me. You know, I knew you were a pirate from the moment I met you."

"Just because of the medallion?"

"No," whispered Jack, running his fingers through my hair, "because it was you. And it became all too obvious the day the Kracken--"

"Jack, I should never have done that--I'm sorry, I really am."

"It's fine--if you didn't, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now and I think you'd be married to dear William," he said, continuing to stroke my hair. "I have to say, I was rather impressed by how well your plan worked. Only a pirate would do that. And it was a unique plan... very mesmerizing."

"If we're really going to talk about my kissing techniques--"

"May I...? A safe one?" He lifted my chin, and I subconciously opened my mouth a little, closed my eyes. It was like a dream, alluring and captivating, and when I finally opened my eyes again I was looking directly into his dark brown eyes.

"Safe enough?"

"Too safe."

We stood in silence for a while.

"Where are we headed?" I asked.

"We are going after Merlow's ship, the _Silver Wave_."

"And when we get there?"

"When we get there we'll be doing a variety of activities that may all be associated with the word 'piracy.'" How does that sound?"

"I'm looking forward to it."


	13. Chapter 13: The Silver Wave

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'll be updating less (probably) now because I'm out of town... :( So despite the annoying chapter ending, PLEASE wait patiently!

Disclaimer: I don't own PotC.

* * *

We sailed peacefully for the next few days, the only disturbances being strange noises and sometimes minor explosions from Tia Dalma's cabin, which she shared with the twins. This was due to Aryza and Emera "practicing their magic."

On the fourth day, I was in the crow's nest, scanning the horizon with the telescope, when I found a ship on the horizon.

"Is that the _Silver Wave_?" I asked Jack, scurrying down the mast.

"Aye," said Jack. "We're catching up."

"It looks just like an ordinary ship," I said doubtfully.

"It _is_ an ordinary ship," said Jack. "It's the _people_ on the ship who aren't ordinary."

"Oh," I said. "Right. So what piracy-related activities are we planning to do?"

"_I _plan to swing over when no one is looking, and search the ship for the thing that Merlow has that belongs to me," said Jack.

_I?_

"Captain Sparrow, there's two things wrong with that," I said, folding my arms across my chest.

"Pray tell, luv."

"One—what do you mean by _I_? I believe it's _we_. Two—how will _you_ know when no one is looking on the other ship?"

"The answer to the former means that you will stay on the _Pearl_ and I'll swing over alone. You're not getting into any more trouble than you need to, savvy? As for the latter—" he smirked "—I'm _Captain Jack Sparrow_. Is this is tenth time already?"

"All right, I trust the second part," I said stubbornly, "but as to the first part, I'm not pleased."

"Well, that's highly unfortunate," said Jack smugly, "but there are times when one must get used to the happenings in life."

"Jack, I'm coming!"

"No, you're not."

"I am."

"You're not."

"Since when have _you_ decided whether or not I can be allowed to perform certain activities associated with the word 'piracy'?"

"Since you decided to be one of my crew. It's _Captain _Jack Sparrow--never forget that, darlin."

"Pirates don't follow orders!" I protested.

"They follow orders from me," said Jack.

"Jack, I despise you!"

"No, you don't. Few days ago you said you love me."

"I despise you now."

"Let's try an experiment, then," said Jack smoothly. "Say I let you come aboard with me. Will you despise me then?"

"Well... no."

"Ah," said Jack, grinning. "Then it's not me you despise, it's my decisions."

* * *

"Listen, Jack," I said exasperatedly, "I'm _coming."_

"Yes, all right, darling," he said. "Suit yourself."

We were about three ships' length from the _Silver Wave_ now.

"Do you really think," I said skeptically, "that they'll just let us swing aboard and search Captain Merlow's cabin?"

"No."

"Then how--"

"I said 'when no one's looking!'"

"Oh. Right."

After a moment I started again, "But how would you know--"

"I won't even say this time," sighed Jack.

"I _know_ you're Captain Jack Sparrow," I shouted. "It's really not that amusing anymore!"

"Then just don't make me say it," said Jack with his usual roguish grin.

* * *

"Don't you think it'll be wiser to negotiate?" I asked, not incredibly keen on doing something as reckless as what Jack had proposed. We were now almost level with the _Silver Wave_.

"I don't, actually," said Jack.

"And why not?" I challenged.

"Because I'm a man on my word."

I coughed.

"And I said that we would be doing things associated with the word 'piracy.' If we negotiate, we wouldn't."

"Oh, Jack, honestly--"

"I'm captain. And _you_ wanted to come." He grinned.

I sighed inwardly as I took the rope he handed me. In a few moments, he had given me the signal. I dreadingly swung.

The cool, refreshing rush of air was more than wonderful. I landed lightly after Jack on the deck of the _Silver Wave. _It was slightly smaller than the _Pearl_. Footsteps sounded behind us. I whirled around.

A middle-aged man was swaggering toward us. He was undoubtedly captain.

"I don't like intruders," he said in a dangerously quiet voice.

"Captain Merlow?" I said immediately, deciding not to listen to Jack. "We're here to negotiate the return of Captain Jack Sparrow's--"

"Intruders usually die on this ship."

In a flash, he pulled out a gun. I saw a glittering, convoluted golden symbol on it.

"Ladies first," he said, smiling coldy.

He held the gun to my throat.

The silence was punctuated only by the sound of Merlow cocking his pistol.


	14. Chapter 14: Merlow

A/N**: Thanks for the reviews! Short chapter, sry.**

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney.

* * *

_Oh, why is it always this? Why is it always me?!_

I took a breath and glared at Merlow.

"Get. Away. From me," I whispered.

"Actually," said Merlow smoothly, "it should be _you_ getting away. You and--ah, it's the _amazing_ Captain Jack Sparrow!"

"Yes," agreed Jack. "Now, if you'll allow me to take my bonnie lass..."

"No."

"Get away from me!" I shouted. My hands found my sword and grasped the handle.

"You don't know the story behind my pistol, do you?"

"I do. What about it? You go killing innocents and don't even give them a chance once the bloody bullet touches them!"

"Pirate."

I drew out my sword.

"Ah," said Merlow. "Has Sparrow not told you anything else? Perhaps that the prophecy says that the owner of this pistol is immortal?"

Jack opened his mouth and closed it again.

_I'm sick of immortality!_

"So you might want to think twice about stabbing me. Let's see now... I believe I know why you're on my ship. You want something of Jack's, or rather, it's now mine. According to Pirate Code."

_Liar!_ Without thinking, without bothering to contemplate what would happen, I pushed his arm away from me and plunged the sword into his chest.

Merlow staggered back with his arms up and pulled the trigger of his pistol. I heard a shrill cry as the bullet hit a seagull in the sky and it dropped into the water. Crimson blood gushed from around my sword, which was still sticking out of him. He pulled it out and looked at the thick red liquid with interest before dropping it on the deck. In a few seconds, the wound stopped bleeding. In fact, all the blood was gone, and the tear in his clothing repaired. Merlow stood up, as well as he had been before.

"Oh," I said slowly, feeling extremely thick, "I--er--I was curious. I just wanted to see what would happen."

"I have to ask," said Jack, "does that hurt?"

"Only a little," said Merlow, and pointed his pistol at Jack.

Jack held up his hands.

"I believe," he said. "That it would be extremely beneficial of you to hand over the beneficial item that belongs to _me, _and therefore protecting your beneficial places of treasure. I do happen to know where your beneficial places of treasure are. Savvy?"

"No. I could just kill you now."

"No, you couldn't," I said fiercely.

"And why not?"

In way of answer, I stepped in front of the pistol.

"Kill _me_."

Merlow frowned.

"Bloody prophecy."

"Elizabeth," said Jack warningly.

"Jack, I've made my decision."

"Oh, you're in love," said Merlow. "And you're willing to die for Sparrow. How terribly noble. Or nobly terrible."

"I'm inclined to do what is _right_," I hissed.

"Yes, yes," said Merlow boredly. "All right, let's have our negotiation."

"We want Jack's possesion and for you never to harm anything to do with the _Black Pearl_," I said.

"And what's my part of that?" said Merlow.

"You can have another crew member," said Jack slyly. "You can have Will Turner."

"Jack!" I exclaimed.

"All right, then, not the whelp."

"I want," said Merlow suddenly, "a share of your treasure."

"You've got enough," said Jack annoyedly.

"I want a share of your treasure."

"You can have ten percent of me plunder in a month, in Tortuga."

"Agreed."

Jack and Merlow shook hands.

"Hand it over, then," I said.

Merlow disappeared below deck and reappeared a few minutes later holding a golden necklace. The pendant showed two hearts entwined.

Jack snatched it from Merlow's hand.

"We'd best be going now."

"Remember the bargain," sneered Merlow as we swung back.

"Jack," I said immediately. "What _is_ that?"

"This," said Jack quietly, showing me the necklace, making the sunlight sparkle off the surface of the gold, "is an ancient treasure that I paid a fortune for from Tia Dalma."

"What does it do?" I whispered.

"It grants a woman and her lover eternal happiness."


	15. Chapter 15: Will's Revenge

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney

* * *

"Eternal happiness?" 

"Aye."

I was amazed and speechless.

"Lizzie," he whispered. I wrapped my arms around him, ready to hear what he had to say.

"Lizzie, darling--I think the East India Trading Company is trying to track the _Silver Wave_."

I hadn't been expecting news like this, but nevertheless I said, "And we're with the _Silver Wave. _Hasn't that bloody Beckett had enough of slaughtering pirates?"

"Apparently not."

"Oh. Well--we'll fight, won't we?"

"Yes, of course. We'll fight and not to run away."

I smiled softly.

"Elizabeth, your father does not know you are alive, and I believe he'll be with Beckett. Am I correct?"

"Yes... and I don't think he would try to save me after I'm truly a pirate now."

After a moment I added, "That's not a problem at all. I'm ready to fight. I'll fight with you, Jack. You know I will."

Jack didn't say anything, but he held me closer and stroked my hair gently.

"Jack, where are we headed now?"

"Merlow is a dishonest man--"

"I thought you were too," I said teasingly.

"--and he'll turn against us. He never keeps any promises. I've learned that well enough."

"So you're planning to kill him?"

"Aye. But I can't figure out how."

"We can't sacrifice anyone."

"We can't. Perhaps the twins can find a way around this."

"Oh, Jack, I highly doubt that."

"You needn't worry, Lizzie. You needn't worry about anything." He lifted my chin with one finger, and I stared into his dark, alluring eyes, hypnotized somehow by the gentle touched of his tanned hands, intoxicated by the feel of his lips on my hair. I closed my eyes a little, my lips parted slightly. I felt our lips touch fervently and I tightened my embrace. I could not tell how long we stood there, locked in passion.

* * *

By nightfall we had fell enough behind the _Silver Wave_ to not make Merlow suspicious that we were following him.

"Jack," I said, walking to the bow with him. "How do you think my father will react?"

"He definitely won't be pleased to see you with Jack Sparrow," said a breathless voice behind us.

Jack continued walking, but I stopped and turned quickly.

"Will," I said awkwardly. He swept past me to Jack with a resolute expression.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Turner?"

"What are _you_ doing here?" said Will.

"I'm talking to Elizabeth. Now answer _my_ question."

"I'm retrieving my rightful bride."

"Will!" I said frustratedly, "I'm not something you can fight over!"

"Elizabeth, stay out of this."

"No!"

"Will," said Jack, "I don't think your 'bride' is very keen on being your bride."

"I--I'm not," I said firmly.

Will ignored me pointedly.

"Will, I'm _sorry_," I said, getting really annoyed now. "Don't do this, please."

"Elizabeth," said Will quietly, turning to me with a desperate expression. "Could you please... give me another chance?"

I opened my mouth dumbly and closed it. _What did he just say? Oh, why did he have to come and make me feel so guilty?_

"Elizabeth, what have I done wrong?" he asked. "Please. Can we... try again?"

I stood helplessly, shaking my head. The tears were already blurring my vision.

"No, Will," I sobbed, not understanding my emotions and why I was crying. "You don't understand. I can't go back--it's too different--it's a new life now... There's no way I can start that over... No, I'm sorry, Will, it won't work--it won't--"

Will said nothing.

"I can't do this," I whispered.

"We could just try... and I won't ask any more of you if it doesn't work."

I shook my head miserably.

"I'm sorry."

I couldn't bear the disappointment in his eyes.

"Jack," said Will suddenly.

"Eh?"

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"How did you win her heart so easily? I only wondered..."

"Oh, Will!" I sighed.

"Prob'ly the same way you won her heart before. She was _curious_."

'But... so suddenly. You stole her so suddenly."

"I'm not something you can fight over!" I shouted.

Ignoring me, he continued, "And I feel as if I deserve to take revenge."

Silence.

"I'll apologize beforehand, shall I?"

"Will," I hissed, through a wave of rising panic, "What are you doing? What are you talking about?"

He ignored me still. I watched with bated breath as he pulled out his pistol and pointed it at Jack.

"Will, no!" I screamed. All the pent-up frustration and mixed emotions building up inside me burst. In a few swift movements I ran to Will and grabbed his arm.

"Don't you dare," I said in a low, furious growl. "Don't you _dare_ do anything to Jack!"

Will shook me off and took a step closer to Jack. But he couldn't do anything, because in less than a second I had pulled out my sword and knocked the gun out of Will's hand. He winced as a line of blood appeared on his hand. Then I did something I never would have dreamed of doing. I turned and pointed my sword straight at Will's chest.

"You do a thing to Jack," I whispered. "And I _swear_ I will kill you."

Will looked stunned for a moment, then backed away reluctantly and retrieved his pistol. I sheathed my sword.

"So you really do care about him that much," he said quietly, the bitterneses sharp in his voice. He disappeared below deck and I stood watching the place at the bottom of the stairs.

"Elizabeth," said Jack behind me. I turned to him and walked into his arms.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I did," I whispered shakily. _To repay him for what I did to him _that_ day when the Kracken came. _

"But it was rather impressive," he added. I smiled faintly.

"Sometimes I think maybe he has a right to kill _me_ for doing such terrible things."

"Elizabeth," said Jack sharply. "Don't ever say that."

I sighed, and for a long time I stood again in his arms under the sails of black.


	16. Chapter 16: Another Ship

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! Sorry it took such a while. I got semi-writer's block. Please assume the _Dauntless_ still exists...

Disclaimer: As always, Disney owns PotC.

* * *

"Lizzie," said Jack a long while later. "After we finish this mess about Merlow, what do you say to sailing with me?" 

"Of course I'm going to," I said, confused. "I'm part of your crew."

"No, no, no," Jack corrected. "I mean, you and I sail. _Together_."

I smiled and closed my eyes, leaning in his arms.

"Yes," I said, sighing happily. "Yes, of course. I will."

He stroked my hair softly. _How wonderful that feels..._

We failed to notice a ship sailing at full speed toward us.

* * *

The enormous sound of explosives shook the air, followed quickly by the sound of cracking wood. The _Pearl_ rocked violently. 

I could hear the crew shouting below in confusion and panic. Jack and I were still standing at the bow.

"Jack, what's happening?"

"Captain!" shouted Anamaria, emerging from below deck. "It's the _Silver Wave_! She's firing on us!"

"Bloody Merlow," muttered Jack angrily.

"Fire on the _Silver Wave_!" I said immediately.

"Aye!" Ana agreed, running below.

"Jack, I have to go help," I said, breathless even before I had started running below deck.

"Stay out of trouble, darling," he called after me. "I'll be getting my leverage."

In the next few minutes I found myself loading cannons with speed I didn't know I owned. Fighting to save Jack had lit a new fire in me. I dumped the gunpowder in feverishly.

"Fire!"

I could not hear it, but I fired because it was part of me. I did it because I knew one thing in my mind--I had to protect the Pearl. I had to protect Jack.

It probably never occurred to me that he was quite good at protecting himself. I didn't think. It was the same monotonous movement, and I found a hidden store of energy for it.

_Jack, please be all right. Please be all right! And--oh, please have the right leverage. What would Merlow want? We already made a truce with him--and he's immortal and invincible unless--no Jack, cannot do that! He wouldn't die for--but what would Merlow want--oh Jack please be all right!_

Someone appeared to help the crew member next to me. I turned to get more cannonballs--and came face to face with Will.

"Oh--" I smiled briefly at him and grabbed a cannonball.

"Elizabeth," said Will.

"Yes? Will--I'm a little busy--we have to protect Ja--the Pearl--"

"There's another ship coming!"

"What?!"

"Another ship! And it doesn't look like an ally! We don't have any allies!"

"Oh--I have to go--" I abandoned the cannon and rushed onto the deck. "Jack!"

I looked around frantically. Indeed another ship was approaching. I found a telescope conveniently located close to me, and raised it to my eye. It was a fairly large ship--not much smaller than the Pearl. It was painted a pale brown and had dark blue edges. There was something about it that looked amazingly familiar. Something in my mind registered it--I seemed to have seen it all my life.

_Of course you've seen ships all your life. You've lived in Port Royal-- _Port Royal. Of course! My eyes traveled upward. The ship was flying royal colors. And--what was that white flag in there? It flapped, and in the small moment that it straightened and creased again, I acknowledged the East India Trading Company insignia.

"Elizabeth?"

I turned. Jack had come out of his cabin. He frowned a little at the sight of the new ship.

"Jack--it's flying royal colors... and the East India Trading Company's flag!"

"That accursed Beckett. He's brought the Royal Navy with him."

I glared at the ship, which was rapidly approaching. I looked through the telescope again. There was definitely no mistake. It was the _Dauntless_.

"What are we going to do?" I asked. "Can we fight both of them?"

"Perhaps," said Jack slowly. "The _Dauntless_ is no match for the _Pearl_, but Merlow's ship is invincible, says the prophecy."

"Should we fight his ship first? And discuss the _Dauntless_ later?" I didn't wait for his answer.

"FIRE!" I screamed.

"I think we'd best start parleying with Beckett right now," said Jack. "He's approaching."

"Oh, damn Beckett--"

The ship was already next to the _Pearl_. We watched as a few men adjusted a plank and connected the _Pearl _with the _Dauntless._

"How dare they," I breathed. Three men walked aboard the _Pearl._ I walked forward determinedly with Jack. Beckett was one of the men, and I didn't look at anyone else. I stared at his repugnant face.

"You have no right--" I said furiously, as Jack said, "As captain of this ship, I request that you tell me what you are doing on my ship."

But Beckett ignored him. He looked back at me with a bored expression.

"Elizabeth Swann."

"Elizabeth?!" This was another voice, one too familiar, mixed with relief, shock, and perhaps anger. I already knew who it was. I turned slowly in the direction of the voice. It was my father.


	17. Chapter 17: My Choice

A/N: Thank you, my dear reviewers! I live on reviews! Oh... super short chapter again. (Apologies)

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney.

* * *

"_Elizabeth_?" repeated my father. I nodded mechanically. It didn't really register in my mind that he was my father until many seconds later. 

"Why, Elizabeth," said Governor Swann in the same mixed voice, now a little concerned and delighted as well, speaking faster and faster. "What are you doing here? How did you get here? My goodness, you look so filthy! Poor child, you must have been on this ship for months! Oh, but thank God you're all right! How I've missed you--everyone thought you were--"

I stared at him blankly. Yes, everyone thought I was dead. Everyone thought Will and I had died in the hurricane that badly damaged a Royal Navy ship when we were returning to Port Royal to be married. But we hadn't. We had drifted to no other ship than the _Pearl_.

"Elizabeth? Are you all right?"

I shook myself out of my thoughts and turned my attention back to my father, swallowing a little.

"Yes," I said. "Yes, father, I'm fine."

"Good," he sighed. I turned my head to look at the man on the other side of Beckett, and my heart gave a little jolt. Norrington. Rage surged in me as I remembered selfish he had been, taking the heart of Davy Jones. I highly doubted he had even cared about the East India Trading Company. He had only wanted his title back, his reputation. How selfish.

_You were no better. _

"Miss Swann," said Norrington, nodding curtly.

I narrowed my eyes and said nothing.

_I can't believe they think I'm still just a damsel in distress, trapped on a pirate ship! Are these men blind? Can't they see that I'm a part of this?_

"Elizabeth, dear," said my father awkwardly, "why don't you come aboard the _Dauntless_? We'll take you home as soon as we can, I'm sure you haven't had a proper meal in ages--" he looked around the perfectly beautiful ship with distaste "--and you must tell me what has happened since the hurricane--"

"No," I said flatlly.

Father blinked.

"What? Elizabeth, don't be silly, come aboard."

Will just had to choose that precise moment to appear.

"Ah, Mr. Turner," said Father, Beckett, and Norrington all at the same time. Will looked rather taken aback.

"Governor," he said politely but just as curtly as Norrington, nodding. "Commodore, Lord Beckett."

"This is good news," said Father. "You can both come at once. I don't think you're married yet; there'll be a wedding immediately. Come along now."

"_No,_" I said firmly. "I'm not going back, can't you see?"

And it finally--_finally_--dawned on them. I believed Beckett had probably already figured it out.

"But, Elizabeth--" said Father, still a little disbelieving.

"Father, this is what I want. I'm not sorry."

"Miss Swann, we granted you clemency after that battle months ago," said Norrington. "Is this how you thank us?"

The words sounded oddly familiar.

"I don't want the clemency!" I shouted. "I'm sick of living like that! I'm staying here. I'm staying here with Jack."

Norrington did not look too surprised, but Father was shocked.

"I'm not going to live as someone who was granted clemency because of who her father was, because her reputation would not be ruined. You granted me clemency and you are about to unfairly arrest Jack, I assume. No. I'm not going to live that way. I'm not going back to Port Royal. I'm not going to go back. And we're in the middle of a battle now, so please excuse me!" I turned to leave.

"Elizabeth!" said Father, furious now. "What are you talking about--"

"I meant what I said," I said firmly.

"You have made your choice, then," said Beckett coldly. I glared at him evenly.

"It was my choice to make." I walked below deck to the cannons again.

"You have two minutes to leave my ship," said Jack. "I will be counting."

The rest of whatever they may have said was lost to the explosion of the cannons.


	18. Chapter 18: Battling with the Undead

A/N: To my dear reviewers--Thank you so much! And I'm so sorry for the wait.

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney.

Chapter Spoiler: Elizabeth seems to like getting in tricky, high-in-the-ropes situtations...

* * *

I turned again quickly and reached for the gunpowder--and found nothing. _Oh, please, no..._

I knocked over empty barrles in my mad rush to get on deck, and nearly knocked Jack over as well when I ran into him. The _Pearl_ shook as the _Silver Wave_ shot another cannonball. I slipped and fell painfully to the deck with a slip of wood embedded in my hand.

"Lizzie!" Jack pulled me to my feet and I held onto him.

"Jack--" I panted. "There's no more--gunpowder--"

"What?" He frowned.

"Last time we loaded the rum," I said hestitantly.

"_What?_" He stared at me. "No. Do not load the rum!"

"Don't worry, no, we won't--"

"Of course. The rum musn't be wasted, understood?"

"Yes, But what can we do now?" The ship rocked again.

"We try to escape."

"What about parley?" I asked, following him across the deck.

"We only use parley as a last resort," he explained in a wise tone.

"Jack!"

Beckett, Norrington, and my father were still standing, a little bewildered, by the side of the ship. Will sood a little way apart, watching awkwardly.

"Sparrow," said Beckett coldly, stepping forward impatiently at last. "We are here to capture the _Silver Wave_. How lucky that you happen to be here as well. The East India Trading Company and the Royal Navy hate to waste energy. You and everyone aboard this ship are under arrest." Father gasped and stared at me.

"Does that mean you, too?" I demanded.

"Miss Swann," said Norrington quietly. "You are in a difficult position. How daring of you to speak."

My slap rang like a gunshot, and Norrington's face burned pink where I had struck him. He stood unflinchingly, but I winced. There was still wood in my palm.

"Let me see your hand," said Norrington, and he took it gently.

"Don't touch me!" I snapped, pulling away, but he held on.

"Here." He pulled lightly on the splinter and removed the wood.

"I--" I started indignantly, and paused. "Thank you." But still I glared at him. _They have no right--!_

"Miss Swann--" Norrington began, looking at me intensely.

"Don't call me that!"

"Elizabeth. There was once a time when I looked at you as a fiance. When I looked at you and thought, one day I will live with you. Then it was Mr. Turner who looked at you that way. What has happened now?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "What has happened to you?"

I set my jaw defiantly, fury burning through me like the largest of bonfires.

"How dare you steal that heart that day for your own gain," I whispered, low and dangerous. "And how dare you challenge who I love."

"Well," said Jack impatiently. "Now that all this is settled, what are you three still doing on my ship? It's been four minutes and fifty-three seconds."

"I just told you," said Beckett. "You're under arrest."

Jack blinked. "I am?"

Beckett rolled his eyes very boredly. "If you wish to finish your gunpowder-lacking battle with Merlow first, then please do so by all means. However, we will be taking Governor Swann's daughter with us."

"No you won't!" I shouted.

"Elizabeth," said Father pleadingly, "please come. Perhaps we can bend the law, perhaps we can excuse you--and Will too--"

"Father! I've already told you--I've made my choice, and I'm not going back. I'm not going to live a life like that! And--" I shook my head helplessly. "I can't explain... I have the freedom I've never had here. I'm _happy _this way--I'm happy with Jack."

It scared me how much power there was behind those words. It terrified me that I had for once admitted my feelings so freely, how wonderful I felt saying those words. And it frightened me that I turned so voluntarily to Jack for comfort, that I went to stand by him to willingly. And how he did not stop me.

Father stared, and I looked back at him defiantly and resolutely. I would not let anything get between Jack and me now.

Suddenly I swung around upon hearing the thud of someone landing on deck. It was Merlow.

"What are you--" I demanded.

"Not good," said Jack hurriedly, and added to Norrington, Beckett, and Father, "Go back. Go. We'll discuss my arrest later. Go!" None of them moved. "Oi! Go!" They turned quickly and boarded the _Dauntless_. I heaved the wooden board off the _Pearl _and turned to face Merlow as four of his crew swung aboard.

"_Weapons_!" I hollered as loud as I could. Several of Jack's crew rushed on deck well armed.

"Lizzie," whispered Jack urgently, "Merlow's crew can't be killed." Ignoring my aghast expression, he continued, "Just try to get them overboard. And remember--it's a not-good situation, try to do something good and not something not-good." I nodded impatiently and turned my attention to the advancing undead pirates with my weapons drawn.

The clash of the swords fed fuel to my fire. I had never found so much energy to fight two immortal pirates with two swords at the same time. The cries of the battle and clang of the swords rang in my ears as I parried blow after blow while trying to strike. The metal danced before my eyes in the dawn light, the distant smell of smoke creeping into my nose.

A blade flew by my head. I brought a sword to meet it with a defeaning report and a swish as I ran my sword across the enemy's blade, swinging my other arm in a complicated move with another of member of Merlow's crew. I was starting to grow desperate, backing, into the mast. I couldn't win against undead people, I couldn't fight like this forever.

_There has to be some other way to solve this! They'll eventually kill me if I keep fighting..._

And I recalled what I had done to Merlow the afternoon before. Would it work? They _were_ immortal, but it should give me enough time...

I dropped one sword and drew out a dagger, which I plunged easily into one of the pirates' chest. I caught a glimpse of the man falling to the deck with blood spurting out of him before I turned to fight the other man. He would heal in just a few seconds, but a few seconds would be enough.

I scrambled up the rigging with the pirate right below me. I managed to block a few strokes of his sword, but as I climbed up more, he raised his sword and slashed me across the right arm with inhuman speed.

And explosion of pain shot through my arm. I dropped my sword, which narrowly missed the pirate, and held onto the ropes desperately with my left hand. It was too high to fall. I could feel the warm blood gushing out of my wound, and it was difficult to keep the tears from my eyes. I couldn't afford to have blurred vision at the moment. I could see the man I had "killed" already rushing toward the ropes, ready to aid the other man in killing me.

I took a deep breath and made sure my feet were firmly on the rectangular rigging before clamping my teeth on a rope. Cautiously but quickly I let go of the rope and pulled out my pistol with my left hand, cocking it. I looked below at the two men scrambling toward me with increasing speed, and fired. One of the men let go of the rigging and fell overboard. I cocked the pistol again and fired. The other man fell as well. I sighed with relief and bit down on the rope harder as another wave of pain washed over my arm. I put my pistol back in my belt, took hold of the ropes with my left hand again, and surveyed the battle scene below with nearly all my energy drained.

Jack was fighting Merlow and continuously stabbing him to gain a few seconds' advantage, while a few other crew members, including Anamaria, were parrying strokes quickly.

I looked around and with a little more relief noticed the twins working spells by the mast. I saw the result of them as I slowly descended. None of Merlow's crew could harm Jack or his crew. There were invisible barriers around them, but they could still reach out of it.

At last, my feet touched the deck. Merlow's crew was surrendering and it looked like Merlow and Jack were parleying--finally.

"This isn't fair!" protested Merlow. "You've got two witches working for you!"

"Pirate," said Jack, raising an eyebrow. "Besides, you're immortal. _And_ you broke our treaty."

"All right, so I did," said Merlow. "What of it? I thought we were pirates!"

"To an extent," agreed Jack. "Now listen here--I want you to leave me, my ship, my crew, and Elizabeth alone from now on."

"I thought I get part of your treasure."

"Ah, we'll see about your behavior," said Jack in a voice suggesting that he was speaking to a young child. "I'm not giving part o' me plunder to a no-good traitor whose crew wounded me girl. Savvy?"

Merlow gave Jack a strange look and said, "I still want _something_."

"Aye. And I know what it'd be that you want."

"Jack?" I said. "You failed to mention this."

"Not now, love," said Jack, and turned back to Merlow. "I'll see about that too. But only if you behave. Now get off me ship."

Merlow rolled his eyes but collected his crew and swung back.

My shirt was now wet and disgustingly warm as well. I didn't even want to see what color it would be now.

"Jack," I said. "How long will this take to heal?"

"You'll be fine in no time, darling," he said assuringly. "I swear I will kill that damned Merlow."

"No! Not like--that--"

"Don't worry," said Jack, sweeping me off my feet. "You must be tired."

In fact, I had only enough energy to wrap my arms around him as he carried me with one arm under my neck and one arm under my legs.

"I'll tell Tia Dalma to come to my cabin."

"No," I whispered up at him, my eyes half-closed even in the intense pain, "I don't want to disturb you again."

"Lizzie, you will never _disturb_ me." He leaned down and gave me a soft, tender kiss.

"I'm... tired..."

"I know. You can have my bed. You're... mine."

My eyelids were heavy. Could one battle cause so much fatigue?

"Or vice versa," I whispered, collapsing in his arms.


	19. Chapter 19: Sacrifice

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney.

A/N: Thank you to my reviewers!

Spoiler: gasp! Character death...

* * *

I was waken by the familiar sound of sword clashes and gunshots. I leapt out of Jack's bed and rushed out of his cabin. Jack was engaged in a desperate fight with Merlow.

I had barely enough time to wonder why Merlow was on the _Pearl_ yet again. Jack had turned to see me.

"Lizzie, go back!" he shouted at me.

"What's happening?" I asked, and suddenly I screamed in a state of rising panic, "Behind you!"

It felt like everything was happening five times slower. I saw it all clearly--Merlow coming and knocking Jack to the ground, raising his sword for a death blow. I ran forward to save him, but it was too late--

"_JACK_!"

* * *

"Elizabeth?"

My eyes fluttered open involuntarily. Captain Jack Sparrow was leaning over me, looking a little perplexed.

"Jack!"

I had never felt anything better than the golden relief that sank into me then. I threw my arms around Jack and did not let go.

"Jack," I murmured, "Don't go. Don't leave me..."

"Even for being an immensely dishonest man," said Jack, "I will never leave you." And he stroked my hair gently.

"Don't. I'm frightened. About what might happen to you if you leave..."

He kissed my hair now, kissed my tear-streaked face, and kissed my lips tenderly.

"Jack," I whispered, shuddering, "that was the most terrible dream I've had in my entire life."

I sat up and leaned on his shoulder, clinging to his coat like a child.

"It won't go away," I said, "the memory of it... Merlow coming up from behind--" I shook my head frantically.

"Here," said Jack, handing a bottle of rum. I uncorked it and drank from it feverishly. The liquid ran through my body, calming me.

"Is your arm still troubling you?"

I was surprised to feel it only stung a little now.

"No. Was it Tia Dalma...?"

He nodded.

"How long has it been since I fell asleep in the morning?"

By way of answer, Jack gently detached my arms from his neck and flung the window open. Late afternoon sunlight streamed through the opening in bright golden rays.

"The _Dauntless _has been following us the entire day."

"And the _Silver Wave_?_"_

"It left. I made sure of that."

"Should we go negotiate with Beckett?"

"Actually, they're waiting for you."

I turned to him. "Do you mean my father?"

"Aye."

"Jack, I can't go. I can't! Sometimes it still haunts me--that I used to live like that--that I used to be of such high rank--"

"You occupy the highest rank in the Caribbean, luv."

I smiled, playing with one of his dreadlocks.

"What about you? Aren't you_ Captain _Jack Sparrow?"

"Of course. But you, darling, are my pirate queen."

"Your queen?" I laughed. "Well, then I command that you tell me--what is it that Merlow wants?"

"He once fell in love, and he wanted to live with the woman forever. But the woman fell in love with someone else before he could make his wish possible, and she died just after she gave birth to the other man's son. He wants another lover."

"That's why he stole your necklace?"

"Aye."

I pondered this, staring at the waves, before saying,"Then... who was that woman?"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jack turn his gaze across the wide ocean.

"My mother."

My hair whipped my face as I turned around to look at him.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly and hesitantly, "My mother died early, too."

"That would make us well-matched."

I studied his face as I twirled a lock of his hair around my finger.

"I'll--I'll go negotiate, shall I?"

"I'm not sure you're terribly good at it," said Jack, "but they've been waiting for you."

"Well, I'm as good as anyone can get, besides Captain Jack Sparrow!" I said, grinning.

Jack walked me on deck. I reached for a rope.

"Wait," he said, stopping me. He pulled my small hands into his wind-roughened ones and looked into my eyes.

"Make sure you come back."

"I will," I said, feeling an immense reluctance to leave, even if it would be for a few minutes, and especially without Jack.

"Well then," said Jack briskly, handing me a sturdy rope, "tell Beckett that I think it's a pity he's never tasted rum."

I took the rope smilingly and swung onto the _Dauntless_.

"What is your purpose here?" asked a cold voice behind me. I turned around. It was Beckett.

"I am here to negotiate," I said curtly.

"Your lover's entire ship, as well as Merlow's, is under arrest. What more is there to say?"

"We are currently in the middle of a conflict with Merlow and his crew. I'd consider it rather rude to interrupt."

"And you want me to postpone your arrest until you are finished with your mutual massacre?"

"Or you could cancel the arrest altogether," I snapped, beginning to adopt Jack's way of arguing. "That would work too."

"You may have one week," sneered Beckett.

"Look here, Lord Beckett. We are helping you destroy one of the most powerful immortal pirates to sail the Seven Seas. Shouldn't we have more time?"

"It would be two weeks at the most. End of discussion."

_So much for a friendly negotiation_. I glared at him.

"Your father wants a word," added Beckett impatiently.

"All right," I said slowly.

Beckett led me to Father's cabin, knocked, and opened the door.

"Your daughter, Governor," he said, and left. I walked into the richly furnished cabin slowly, seeing familiar things I had seen all my childhood.

"Elizabeth," said Father, sitting at a table. "Come, sit down."

"No, thank you, Father," I said. "I... don't intend to stay very long."

He stiffened at this.

"Tell me, Elizabeth, what has happened? I know you were always adventurous, but... surely this is taking it a step too far?"

"Father, I'm not going to do any more explaining. I've made my decision, and you know what it is."

I watched his expression change from concerned to angry.

"Very well then," he said. "I do not wish to do this, but I am, as are Lord Beckett and Commodore Norrington, bound by the law. You are all arrested."

"I have already negotiated that," I said, equally angry. "I must leave now." I walked to the door.

"Wait!" He walked to the door, opened it, and spoke a few words to someone standing outside. A few minutes later, Beckett came walking in with--

I suppressed a shudder and a groan. It was a cherry-red hot brand in the shape of the letter P. Beckett did not wait. He pressed it into my injured arm without hesitation.

I could not hold back the scream that escaped my throat. I tried desperately to ignore the burning, searing pain in my arm as I furiously pulled out my dagger with my free hand and slashed it across Beckett's hand. He dropped the brand and I ran out the room, across the ship to the bow. Father and Beckett followed me.

I spoke to Beckett before I dove into the water.

"Now I have left my mark on you, too."

* * *

I swam up to the _Pearl _but did not have the energy to climb aboard. Luckily, Jack was at the helm at the time and saw me. He threw me a rope and hauled me aboard.

"Are you a magnet for trouble?" he demanded as I clambered to my feet unsteadily. The cool water had lessened the pain of the raw P on my arm, but I was still dizzy.

"There's nothing wrong," I said hurriedly.

"Then why did you have to escape by diving off the ship and end up almost as tired as you were this morning?"

"Well, all right—" I held out my arm. He frowned and looked at me in shock.

"I swear I will kill that man one day," he said furiously. "Go to Tia Dalma. She healed you last time."

"I'm fine," I said. "Really."

"Then please make yourself busy on deck or in the sails. We are sailing back to Isla de Profecia for the twins to restock on certain protection things and then we are going to follow Merlow again."

I was not quite sure how to be of use, because in truth my arm was still stinging terribly, so I ended up helping to scrub a corner of the deck. By nightfall we were back at Isla de Profecia and the twins, Jack, and I were in the rowboat.

Emera and Aryza opened the cavern door with magic and we rowed into the chamber.

"Look," I whispered, indicating a corner of the chamber. There was a tiny flicker of candlelight and a clattering sound, then the sound of shuffling parchment.

Emera frowned, muttered a spell, and set ball of light crashing into the cavern wall, on which it shattered into fragments and illuminated every crevice of the cavern. In the corner I had indicated Merlow stood leafing through a sheaf of parchment, looking smug.

"How dare you--"shrieked Aryza.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Those are the prophecies!" Emera shouted frantically.

"How'd _you_ get in here?" inquired Jack.

Merlow held up a hand to silence us.

"I'm looking through Morgana's prophecies. I'm looking for mine. To prevent my demise." He grinned devilishly. "And I had some magic training when I was younger..."

I had a terrible feeling, not about what he was telling us, but _why _he was telling us. _He wouldn't just tell us if he knows we aren't allies..._

"I'm getting tired of this game, Sparrow," said Merlow, smiling coldly. "I'm going to end it. Once again, ladies first, and let us be courteous to the eldest."

He pulled out his pistol and cocked it, then pointed it once again at me.

Jack already has a knife out, and threw it across the chamber. It landed easily in Merlow's chest, and in the few seconds' advantage that we had, the twins and I had pulled out our weapons.

"Wait!" cried someone behind us. I swung around. It was Will, running across the rocks and jumping over the waterway with his sword. His eyes were wide with as he came nearer and nearer. He was gesturing frantically at something behind me. I could see all the fear and determination in his face. I turned, bewildered, around again.

And could only see a flurry of activity and hear Merlow pull the trigger.

"NO!" Will shot in front of me, and just as quickly slumped onto the ground. I felt my jaw drop as I looked at the body before me, then looked up to see the figure of Merlow, falling slowly and obviously in great pain. His body was disappearing, and in a few seconds that felt like an eternity, it had faded away completely, leaving behind only his pistol. It fell on the rock with a hollow crack.

The golden glyph on the pistol exploded into a beacon of light, making the light in the cavern blinding. I shielded my eyes with my arms and through a crack could see the light slowly fade as well, until it was just another ball of golden light that settled on Will's lifeless body before it, too, disappeared.


	20. Chapter 20: Freedom

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: Disney owns PotC.

* * *

For a few minutes we stood in traumatized silence. 

I knelt down slowly and gingerly touched Will's shoulder.

"Will?"

"Elizabeth--" began Aryza.

I ignored her. "Will," I whispered, "why did you do that? Will, wake up! Will!"

I did not love him, but that did not mean I wanted him dead. And especially dead because of me.

Because of me.

Again. Someone was dead, because of me.

And this time, there was no way to fix it.

The tears soaked Will's shirt. The cries echoed around the cavern.

"Will! Wake up! Will, I'm sorry--"

All those things I had said, every heartbreak I had imposed on him, everything he had to bear to the very end--to his sacrifice of undying love.

For me. For my life. To kill Merlow, for my wellfare. My happiness. With Jack.

* * *

The twins constructed a gorgeous casket for him. We laid him inside, brought the casket with us back to the _Pearl._

"He fulfilled the prophecy," said Emera quietly as Aryza closed the cavern doors, holding the parchment on which the prophecy had been recorded. "Or at least part of it."

It did not surprise me at all that there was more, but I did not want to know the rest of it.

We sailed straight to Tortuga in two days, found a place away from the city and had a funeral for him, where he lay as the noblest of pirates.

All the while, the _Dauntless_ sat on the horizon.

"It's waiting for the end of the two weeks," I explained listlessly when we were back on the _Pearl_. "What happened to the _Silver Wave_ and her crew?"

"Scattered," said Aryza. "According to the prophecy."

I moved away to the bow, where I stood watching the afternoon sunlight dancing on the sea, dancing on the endless wave upon wave of sparkling water. I listened to the gentle lap of the water on the wood, smelled the tangy air and felt the wind on my face. I could taste the salty spray that leapt into the air.

"Where do you want to go, darling?" said Jack's voice behind me.

"What does it matter?" I said dully. "We haven't got much time before the negotiated arrest."

"We'll have to lead them somewhere where we could escape and they couldn't," mused Jack. "Savvy?"

"As you wish," I said, keeping my voice flat.

"Is there something wrong between us, Lizzie?" said Jack.

"This is all your fault!" I shouted angrily, turning to face him.

"What?"

"You did it on purpose didn't you?" I demanded. "You told him to go to the cavern! You wanted him to die!"

"Elizabeth," said Jack calmly, "I assure you I had no idea what Mr. Turner was planning to do."

"Liar! You never liked him. You planned this from the beginning! Don't you even care? Don't you know what it feels like on me?!" I cried passionately, "Or do you not care about that either? Do you even love me at all? What if you were just pretending?!"

I had no tears left, just dry, racking sobs. I didn't know where all my emotions were coming from, where it was going, but I did not care.

"Lizzie," said Jack, genuinely shocked, "I _love_ you! I wasn't pretending!"

"No!" I screamed helplessly, "_I_ wasn't pretending!"

I ran below.

* * *

I hadn't had a tantrum like that since I was eight. Or was it a tantrum? Maybe it was true.

_Maybe he _was _pretending. _

The very thought haunted me. I lay in my bed with tortured thoughts. Jack was everything to me. He was my world--my joy, my light,m my freedom. And all I had. All that could matter.

And it wasn't even about Will's death now. _What if he wasn't pretending and I just angered him?_

I couldn't trust that he wasn't pretending. He wans't the most faithful person in the world. Or could I turst it? It had seemed so real... or was it just because I had wanted it? jHe was a pirate... but so was I.

And he was truly what I wanted most in the world. The compass would never lie. It had pointed to love, to happiness, to adventure, to freedom...

Freedom.

The power behind that one word. All the oppurtunities I saw through that window. How captivating it was, drawing me toward it; how I wanted to step through that door. I saw myself in the world beyond as I stood in the doorway--the world full of light and shimmering pictures. How carefree I looked in that world... It called to me, reached out with glittering hands to pull me in. I wanted to throw away protection and let the river carry me. I wanted to risk it all to step in, to go into that world!--dangerous and alluring, poisonous and fascinating. It was what I had always wanted. And I knew I wouldn't do it alone. I knew I had to have him by my side, even if he was already free, and I was not, held by bonds. And I knew, that even if it was his fault, I would still love him. I would always.

I would have abandoned everything and stepped into the other world, had there not been somethin missing.

I wanted to go in with Jack.


	21. Chapter 21: What I Want

A/N: Thank you, dear reviewers!

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney.

* * *

Night and silence fell like a blanket around the _Pearl. _I quietly stepped on deck and approached the bow. There was no one on deck, no one at the helm. The ship sat still on the water. I glanced to the side and saw that the anchors had been dropped. 

I rested my elbows on the sides of th eship and tried to imagine myself being truly free. There were so many possibilities... with Jack, but after what I had done to him... I had just turned to go back to my cabin when I saw Jack leaning against the helm, watching me.

"Jack--" I said immediately, while at the same time he said, "Are you--"

"You can speak first," I said.

"I thought so," agreed Jack. "I was saying, are you finished with your little... tantrum?"

I sighed.

"I was going to talk about that. Jack, I'm--I'm scared. I didn't mean to say those things, but I'm scared... that maybe it _was_ intentional, and that someone, that you, could possibly do that..."

I entwined my arms around his neck and he pulled his arms around me.

"You must loathe me now," I whispered. "I really shouldn't have said that, about pretending... I'm sorry. I really am. And I wouldn't blame you for loathing me now..."

"No, darling," said Jack. "I don't loathe you. Funny how I don't, eh?"

I smiled with relief and Jack pressed his lips to mine.

"Do you think we could possibly run from Beckett forever?" I asked.

"Aye, we could run from the _Dauntless_," said Jack. "But sooner or later, luv, they'll get a new, faster ship or more ships and then we won't be able to run. Savvy?"

I gave him a blank look.

"It means we'll have to fight," he said.

"Jack, no!" I protested. "What if someone... what if you--"

"It's worth the risk, darling," he whispered. "to be free."

"No, it's not!" I said firmly.

"The other choice is hanging. We _can't_ run forever."

"You're right," I sighed, looking up at him.

"Always the tone of surprise," said Jack.

He tightened his embrace around me, as if unwilling to ever let go. And I stood swaying in his arms, taking in every detail of him--his rough tanned hands comfortingly stroking my hair, his lips ever-so-gently brushing my cheeks, his dark eyes, never leaving mine for more than a few seconds. They looked like two pools that were as deep as eternity. _What a world he must have gone through... unlike me... and like me. _And I felt as if I had come home from the world I'd come through, home to adventure and love, and freedom.

"Yes, it's what I want," I whispered. The risk, and the danger. Part of the adventure I had yearned for all my life.

"And you can have it, when it comes," said Jack. "But at the moment we're after what _I_ want."

"Merlow's treasure?"

"Aye. And his rum."

"How could I forget," I muttered, but suddenly I remembered something. "Jack..."

"Yes, Lizzie darling?"

"You owe the twins a blood debt."

"I do."

"How can you pay that?"

"Normally a blood debt is formed when someone saves someone else's life. Therefore, it would stand to reason that the said someone else would pay the blood debt by saving the said someone's life when the said someone is in danger. Savvy?"

I nodded.

"But in my case, I did... sort of leave them to die. I could still save them. But they have the right to leave me to die somewhere any time."

"But--" I said.

"However, they wouldn't do that because although I owe them a blood debt, they owe me a few favors because I brought them powerful magical items. If they leave me to die, they wouldn't be the rightful owners of said powerful magical items, and they would want to be, so they wouldn't leave me to die. Savvy?"

I nodded again.

"I see only one little problem," I said.

"What?"

"You said we're after Merlow's treasure. But I don't see that we're sailing."

Jack grinned, and started to say something, but he motioned for me to turn around and look behind me.

I did so slowly and dreadingly.

And found the _Dauntless_ skimming in the water, its bow nearly level with the the _Pearl_'s.


	22. Chapter 22: Power

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! And once again please excuse the short chapter!

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney.

* * *

"They are not--" I began furiously, but Beckett and Norrington were already swinging aboard. 

"Well, unfortunately we meet again," announced Jack, sounding only slightly annoyed, but I strode up to them with my eyes narrowed.

"I was under the impression," I said in a low, threatening voice, "that we have--" I quickly counted the days "--eight days left."

"Well," said Beckett, using a belittling voice one might use to explain arithmetic to a small child, "I had heard that you already finished Merlow."

"And I would reason that we have the extra time as a reward," said Jack.

Ignoring him, Beckett continued, "And _I_ was under the impression pirates break truces quite often?"

"Only pirates do," said Jack immediately. "And since you are honest men, you do not break truces. However you just broke a truce. And according to a pirate's definition, honest men follow the patterns. So the only conclusion is that you honest men did what honest men do, followed the said pattern, and became pirates. Savvy?"

"Don't you dare," said Norrington.

"In other words," I snapped, "there is a reason you're not pirates. So don't break the truce."

Beckett said nothing but pulled out a sheaf of parchment. I took it to be our arrest warrants.

"Just out of curiosity," I said coolly, trying not to let my short temper burst, "when people speak, do you actually hear? Or is that only for the people who give you what you want?"

"Under preferrable circumstances, for the latter," said Beckett, in his usual bored tone.

A ball of fire whizzed past my head and landed on Beckett's boot. I turned to look for the source, and saw the twins standing with a bonfire blazing in the middle of the deck.

"Don't worry, captain," said Aryza happily as Norrington stamped the fire out frantically. "It only burns people."

"We'd have done the worst destructive types, but the only the men at the cannons are using that," said Emera. "Just in case one of us catches on fire as well."

"I don't like the sound of that," murmured Jack as Beckett made a signal to the _Dauntless_. "Or the look of that."

I already had my sword drawn when Beckett turned back around. I was completely oblivious to the cries of the _Pearl'_s crew as they rushed into battle with the men who had swung over. With a swift, practiced stroke I sliced the parchment out of Beckett's hand before he had pulled out his own sword.

It felt like everything was happening slowly again, just like in my dream. I moved trancelike through the battle, the slashes of the swords silver blurs in the air. It felt like an infinitely slow dance, moving to the endless rhythm of the ocean. I had never felt so much power before as I fought, I could feel more and more exhilirated with each stroke of my sword. I wasn't thinking; my mind had stopped processing information. I couldn't hear the ringing of the weapons or the explosions of the cannons. All I knew was that I had hated Beckett with a bitter loathing ever since I knew who he was. And I was sick of hating him without being able to do anything.

I parried a slice from a redcoat, and pushed my sword into his stomach. Before he had reacted I retrieved my sword, turned around, and buried a dagger into another's chest. Suddenly I collapsed to the floor as something exploded in my injured arm. I braced myself and wrenched a knife out of it. My blood was sickening, my damp shirt sticking to my skin. I only managed pick up a rifle with my free hand and fire at whoever had thrown the knife.

"Here," said a familiar voice. I recognized it as Aryza's but I couldn't see her. Tears blurred my vision and I felt ready to faint. I could distantly feel Aryza tying a cloth around my wound.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Aryza, that Beckett is running toward the mast!" said Emera. "He's... holding an East India Trading Company flag. It looks like he's going to raise the flag."

"The coward!" I hissed. "He's too weak to fight."

"No, Lizzie don't move!" protested Aryza, but I had already gotten up. The wound wasn't bleeding so badly now. I took a few paces toward Beckett. Emera threw another ball of fire at him. Though the fire couldn't burn his wet coat, it took him by surprise. He tripped as the ship rocked unsteadily, and I seized my chance.

I ran up holding my sword, feeling the power coursing through my hands as I raised it and drove it down with all of my strength straight into Beckett's chest. Warm blood spurted from the wound, flowering onto his shirt, flowing onto the white East India Trading Company flag that he still clutched. And I had never felt so cruelly satisfied with the power that I had held. His eyes were still open and surprised as he slumped and died.

He came from behind, and I cursed myself for sheathing my sword. The rope cut into my wrists as he bound them tight; I choked as he gagged me. Norrington. He wrapped an arm around me and grasped a rope with his free hand. I aimed a kick at his body, but he held on tight--and it seemed as if he wasn't reluctant to do so. _He's always liked me. _But as the bitter night wind whipped my hair loose, I turned my head to look desperately at Jack, my head screaming from the pain in my arm. And Norrington swung, holding me, still struggling, captive in his arm, my hands still stained with the scarlet color of victory.


	23. Chapter 23: Bound by the Law

A/N: Thank you if you reviewed! Please review if you didn't... :) I realized after I wrote this chapter that it's similar to what happened between Norrington and Lizzie in AWE. I assure you I didn't try to copy it. Please do not be furious with me.

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney

* * *

As soon as we landed on the deck of the _Dauntless,_ I gave Norrington another sharp kick. He let go, surprised, then with eerie speed calmly held me again with one arm, and removed my gag. 

"I can't believe you've allied with the East India Trading Company," I said. "Beckett tried to arrest you before."

"I serve the law," said Norrington.

"And what is the law planning to do with me?" I snapped. "Hang me?"

"Elizabeth, please," said Norrington helplessly. "I _love_ you. And your father does as well. We both care about you."

"If either of you care about me at all, you would have let me be free."

"Elizabeth," he said after a silence. "I apologize. About joining with Beckett. About the heart of Davy Jones."

"But you're not sorry. You don't regret having your title back. It's too late to earn my forgiveness."

"I can't bear sending you to the gallows," he whispered, desperate. "I don't want to have to do this."

"Then don't!"

"But--I must."

"Oh of course you must," I said, my temper threatening to burst. "If you don't, then you'll lose your land, your wealth, your title--your damn reputation!" I took a breath to calm myself. "I despise you."

"I beg of you," said Norrington. "Please come back to Port Royal. I'm giving you a last chance. Think of what you're doing to your father's..." He stopped. "Your father's _... reputation," _he said at last. "Please."

"And what story will you and my father come up with to protect his reputation?" I sneered. "You don't love me. But you want to marry me. You want to use me for yourself. So you can have fame and glory because you 'rescued the governor's daughter and married her.' You don't care about me at all."

Norrington looked at me evenly, and I could see hurt in his expression.

"You are mistaken," he said.

"I refuse to take my 'one last chance.'"

"I am bound my the law, Elizabeth. You leave me no other choice. Forgive me. Come." He half-led, half-dragged me to the brig and unlocked a cell door.

"Let me go and never go after the _Black Pearl_ again."

"I can't."

"You said you love me," I persisted.

"I do--"

"But it's not as important as yourself."

I shook his hand off my arm and walked into the cell.

"Simply out of curiosity, I was wondering why you didn't capture the entire ship," I said coldly.

Norrington said nothing, but his expression betrayed him.

"James, you should be acting as an honorable man," I said. "You should be fighting. Not waiting for them to follow."

After a pause, I said, "I refuse to be your source of glory, and I refuse to be your bait."

Norrington closed the cell door and left.

I sat down gingerly on a damp, empty barrel. The conversation with Norrington had taken my mind off my arm. Though the bleeding had stopped, now it felt as if someone was repeatedly stabbing it.

I sifted through my mind, looking for something to think about to occupy time, and I arrived at the thought of Jack. Perhaps he had not seen Norrington grab me and take me to the _Dauntless_. I couldn't call back to him, and he had been fighting. But by now he must have noticed, maybe he was following. Would he follow...? Would he attack the _Dauntless_? Or... I shied from the thought... would he simply leave? I didn't want him to follow--he would be in mortal danger. But somehow in a selfish, desperate impulse I didn't care, and I wanted him to come and bring me back under the shelter of his black sails. And if he didn't follow... Norrington would be tracking the _Pearl _after my execution, and he would have a stronger, faster ship and reinforcements. Either way, we were trapped, unless Jack attacked the Royal Navy now.

I was answered by an explosion that blasted open a section of the hull and threw me to the floor.


	24. Chapter 24: To Escape

A/N: I just realized my story's on the community It's a Sparrabethical World. Thanks! And thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: PotC (as always) belongs to Disney.

* * *

I crept to the hole in the hull, in the cell next to mine and tried to peer through it. Another loud shot rang through the air, and I held on to the bars. I pulled back and reached for my sword on instinct. 

I was surprised that Norrington had not taken my weapons away, but I did not know why I would need it at the moment. Without thinking I stuck it through the bars and hacked away at the wood but did not manage to get more than a few chunks off. There was not much else I could do.

_If only I can open the door… _I knew how Will had done it before—and Jack had always talked about leverage. But I had no leverage, and I certainly did not have much strength.

I had not taken much time to consider who might be firing on the _Dauntless_. Now I felt my heart leap a little.

_Can it be Jack? Oh please be Jack, please...! _I wished desperately that I could escape and find out what was happening.

I could hear Norrington shouting orders to the extra men aboard the ship. Apparently they were going to swing aboard the other ship and capture it.

I dreaded hearing this. Norrington couldn't be that senseless—even he knew he could not capture the _Pearl_ without reinforcements. The ship that was firing could not possibly be the _Pearl. _

_I'm still stuck here. _For certain I would be here for a few days before the ship reached Port Royal. Perhaps I could escape there… Or if the other ship won the battle perhaps they could set me free. But though the other ship could only be a pirate ship, it was definitely not a guarantee that they would help me. I remembered the words Barbossa had said on our journey to the end of the world—_The only way a pirate can earn a living now is by betraying other pirates. _

_Where is Jack?! _Again I thought that perhaps he had simply left. I had to try to get out. I had to warn him… or Norrington would capture him as well.

I pulled my sword out again and sawed at the wood. Water leaked in as the ship rocked , and it almost reached my ankles, though the hole was considerably small. A small chunk of wood plunked into the water with a soft ripple. I sat back hopelessly, watching the wood bobbing on the surface of the water.

Heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs. I hastily pulled my sword back and sheathed it as quietly as I could, and sat down on the barrel with the most bored expression I could manage. Norrington strolled down the aisle, leading Royal Navy men, all of whom were holding various pirates who I had never seen before.

_I'm doomed, _I thought, _unless I can strike a bargain. _I pretended not to look too interested in the pirates as they were locked into the cell on the other side of me. They appeared to be rather rich, wearing fine clothing with bits and pieces of valuable-looking jewelry hanging on it. Norrington looked at these disapprovingly as he passed the cell, pausing for a fraction of a second at mine. I glared at him with a set jaw through the bars, and he moved away.

As soon as all the men had gone upstairs, I spoke.

"Where is your ship?"

"_Lady of the Sea_? She's being towed," said a man in the cell next to mine. I looked around at the men.

"We have to get out," I said desperately. "Who is your captain?"

"He was killed in the battle," said the same man. "And how did ye get in this bloody ship?"

"He captured me even though we won. I'm being used as bait, and it's luckily not working, but I have to get out. Will you help me?"

"We don't do anything unless there's a profit for us," he said. "I'm Henry--first mate o' the _Lady_. And you?"

"Elizabeth," I said. "And I know exactly what pirates do. I will get your ship back for you, and you take me to the _Black Pearl_."

"Agreed--" said Henry, smiling coldy.

"No, we don't even know where the _Black Pearl _is!" said one of the men. "And how can we catch up with her? She's the fastest ship in the Caribbean!"

"Do you want to get out or not?" snapped Henry, and turned to me. "As I was saying..."

"The _Pearl_ is the fastest ship in the entire ocean," I said, smirking, "but I _will_ make sure you take me to it. Do we have an accord?"

"Aye, we do," said Henry, and we shook hands through the bars.

I sat back down and held my head in my hands as I searched my mind for an escape plan. I had exhausted my energy source and I had no desire to think. After ten minutes I my mind was more than weary and I wanted nothing more than to sleep. _Bloody Norrington! And Jack... the _Pearl_'s faster than the _Dauntless_. He could have attacked if he wanted to--he would be able to keep up... and he's not attacking. He's not firing. Stupid Norrington--why couldn't he submit to his 'love'?! Oh, damn it! Why can't another ship just fire another bloody hole into this hull?_

_Fire another hole..._

I sat up. It was worth a try.

"I haven't got any strength left," I said, "but if any of you could carve a hole into the hull, right where the bar divides our cells..." I showed them where, and they immediately set to work on it. In hours there was a sizeable gap exactly where I had wanted it, and water came in in a rush.

_They must be desperate for their freedom... _Freedom made me think of Jack, and I did not want to think about Jack.

"We've got to climb up the side of the ship," I said. "And go across the deck to your ship."

"And if anyone's on deck?"

I hesitated. "I'll distract them," I said, not quite knowing what to do, "but _don't you dare_ cut the ropes without me."

"Of course," said Henry coldly, and I hoped desperately there wouldn't be anyone on deck.

I climbed through the hole, found footholds, and climbed easily up the side of the _Dauntless_. I raised my head carefully above the railing. The deck looked deserted under the silver moonlight. Holding on tightly, I looked down and whispered to the men clinging onto the hull.

"It's safe."

I raised my leg over the railing and landed quietly on the deck. Quickly and silently, the pirates clambered up. The ship tilted ominously.

"Hurry," I said, and we rushed across the deck towards the stern. Sturdy ropes connected the _Dauntless_ to the _Lady of the Sea_. The pirates held onto the ropes and inched cautiously towards their ship. Most of them were on the other side now, and I grabbed a rope myself.

"Very clever," said a voice behind. "But it's a little late."

I turned, terrified. It was Norrington, holding a gun pointed at me.


	25. Chapter 25: I Know You Want To

A/N: Thank you, dear reviewers! Again, I took something from AWE...

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney.

* * *

I let go of the rope and stepped forward a little. _Please please please don't leave without me! _

"Careful, James," I said coolly, all the while telling myself to be careful, "You don't want to turn into one of the murderers you detest."

"A young lady, brought up well, ready for a respectable life. All ruined by that one time the _Black Pearl_'s crew kidnapped you. What a shame,"whispered Norrington. "What is your father going to think of you?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," I said.

"We shouldn't have let Sparrow live that day, when he was fated to die. And that Turner, protesting! We should have killed him, too."

"He's dead now--"

"I'm quite afraid that the sea has ruined your wits," continued Norrington. "Or Sparrow. Yes, I've heard he can be quite irresistable and seductive..."

"What a shame," he repeated after a pause.

"You're not going to fire," I said, and I felt confident that he wouldn't, though he held the gun resolutely.

"What makes you say that?" he asked sharply, and cocked the gun.

"It's not so easy," I whispered. "It's not as easy as you think."

"Contrary to what _you_ think," he said, "I _have_ done this before."

"Yes," I said, walking up to him, "but you have never done _this_ before."

I put my arms around him gently, raised my head, and pushed my lips to his. I leaned in, heard the gun drop on the deck with a hollow crack, felt his hands grip my waist, and started stepping back. _I'm doing this for Jack; I'm doing this for Jack! _And even as I thought that, I could feel a tiny drop of pity for Norrington. _But I have to leave. _I continued stepping back, encouraing him, and he stepped forward to meet my lips, until I hit the railing. I let go of him, groped behind me and found a rope. Then I drew back.

Norrington looked at me, surprised, perhaps, and disappointed.

"Elizabeth," he said softly. "Please... Come with me...?"

I shook my head.

"It's too late. And I've made a bargain with them."

He stared at me longingly.

"Let me go," I whispered. "Just this once."

He said nothing, his hands still around my waist.

"You want to," I said, my voice sleek and beguiling.

He looked past me at the ship behind.

"Go," he said suddenly, his voice rough, as if hiding something underneath. "Go!"

I kissed him again, this time briefly.

"Thank you, James. I knew you would do it for me." I grasped the rope and swung myself out over the water, gripped the rope with my feet as well, and inched slowly along without looking back. When I finally reached the bow of the _Lady_, I leapt and landed on the wood. From the other side, I saw Norrington draw his sword and slice through the ropes. Then he turned away, and after a while the _Dauntless_ moved slowly away.

* * *

"Welcome aboard," said Henry, "... Miss Elizabeth."

"Don't call me that," I said distractedly, as the ship set sail. "How are you going to find the _Pearl_?"

"Our captain has some treasures for navigating. If you would come with me..."

"Jack's not the only one, then," I muttered, following him to the captain's cabin.

Henry showed me a map of the Caribbean Sea. It was detailed and beautifully drawn. He handed me a quill.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Write the name of this ship," he said. Bewildered, I wrote _Lady of the Sea _in the middle of the map. It felt strange to hold a pen. I hadn't done so in months.

"Oh!" I whispered. A miniature drawing of the _Lady_ appeared on the map, moving slowly through the water.

"It shows where ships are," said Henry. "Now write the name of yer ship." I wrote _Black Pearl _on the map, and a drawing of the _Pearl_ appeared too, nearby. It was moving away.

"Aye. Now we have a heading, and if ye would like to rest, we have a cabin for ye."

He showed me to it, and I sat down on the bunk.I sighed, exhausted, with only one thought left now.

_Where is Jack and what is he doing?!_


	26. Chapter 26: Something to Bargain With

A/N: Thank you, dear reviewers!

Disclaimer: Disney owns PotC. I probably own Henry and the _Lady of the Sea_, but that's not saying much. :)

* * *

In the days that followed I found myself standing at the bow of the _Lady of the Sea _in the early mornings, trying desperately to see through the blurry fog that enveloped the ship. We were going in the same direction as the _Pearl_, and sometimes I was wildly hoping that perhaps I could catch a glimpse of her in the distance. 

As soon as the sun rose the fog lifted and it became unbearably hot. Henry let me have the magic map for the duration of my stay aboard the _Lady_, and I kept it with me as I roamed the deck restlessly, fanning my face with it once in a while. I did this only out of lack of a better thing to do (I wasn't a crew member), because the fanning didn't work; the air remained suffocatingly hot, pressing in on me with intensity. There was hardly any wind, and the still air tortured me. Besides the heat, it reminded me that the ship could barely move, that I wasn't any closer to Jack than I had been ten hours ago... And yet with a glance at the map I saw that the _Pearl _was moving as fast as ever.

I leaned against the side of the ship as I once again unfolded the map and watched the _Lady'_s unencouraging progress. It was twilight, the sky already sprinkled with stars. As I stared at the _Pearl_, moving swiftly, I felt a terrible wave of helplessness wash over me. Couldn't Jack use his compass? It would work... unless... I _wasn't_ what he wanted most in the world. I shied away from the thought, frightened that it was true, telling myself desperately it could not be.

And every day Jack's abscence fell on me like an enormous burden. I felt hollow, as if someone had carved out a huge section of me.

"So," said Henry, walking up to me. "Is your… stay aboard me ship enjoyable?"

"Very enjoyable, thank you," I said, not quite wanting to talk. "But it's your ship now?"

"Well, I'm the captain for now, ye may as well call it my ship."

I nodded.

"Come into me cabin, miss," he said, "There's something I've been wanting to ask you."

I followed him reluctantly into the captain's quarters, knowing I didn't have much of an excuse not to. I sat down on an extra chair and waited.

"Yer a very… _pretty_ lady," he said at last. I raised an eyebrow. I hadn't heard comments about my appearance for months.

"Telling me that has no effect on me," I said coolly.

"And yer seeking Jack Sparrow, eh?" he continued. "Does he… fancy you?"

I gave him an odd look.

"I—yes—I mean… we're—" I stopped. "Friends. Why do you want to know?"

"I'm trying to figure out why someone like ye would be aboard a ship and seeking a nigh uncatchable man."

"I was captured in a battle that Norrington and Beckett had with the _Pearl_, and I wish to go back."

"Ah, so ye were on board the _Black Pearl_," he said. "Ah. I believe I know why now."

I looked at him skeptically.

"Jack Sparrow—"

"Captain," I said automatically.

"—pays a lot?"

"What?"

"Well what do you say to joining me in me cabin tonight?" he asked, grinning wickedly.

I opened my mouth in horror and revulsion and stared at him with disgust.

"No!" I exclaimed.

"And why not?" asked Henry.

"I'm not a—you've got it wrong—I'm—Are you mad?!"

He watched me.

"If you want to know," I said, "I'm a member of Jack's crew (why else would I carry weapons?), and… I'm his—friend… And I simply got captured by Norrington!"

"And why ye, then? We all saw ye kiss him."

"Listen," I said impatiently. "Norrington would not dare mingle with a whore! He wouldn't even set me free. The reason he captured _me_, and—the reason for the kiss… is because that wasn't the first time we met! There's history in this!"

He watched silently.

"If you'll excuse me, captain," I said, still revolted, "I think I'll return to my own cabin."

I swept out the room and slammed the door shut, and ran below deck to my cabin.

"Jack," I whispered into the pillow as I lay on the bed. "Jack..."

"Captain, a ship's been sighted!" shouted someone on deck.

I gasped, slipped my feet into my boots, and nearly broke the door off its hinges as I raced out and onto deck. Wildly excited, I ran to the bow and stared out to sea. Sure enough, there was the silhouette of a large vessel, closer than I would have expected. I glanced up at the white-grey sails of the _Lady_, and again looked at the other ship.

"That's it!" I shouted, mad with happiness. "It's the _Black Pearl_!"

It felt like someone had suffocated me for days and now I could breathe again. I looked around ecstaticly.

"How did we catch up so quickly?" I asked, laughing.

"Cap'n found an instrument to create wind!" said a crewman. As if to prove his point, the wind blew gustily in the sails, and on deck I relished the feel of the moving air on my skin.

"This is incredible!" I said. The _Pearl _was getting closer and closer every second.

"Aye, it is," said Henry, walking by. "Do you know what's better?" And he swung a rope before me, lashing my hands to my waist. "Something, or rather someone, to bargain with!"

"You—despicable—cheating—liar!" I screamed furiously, running after him as he walked away, trying to kick him, and unable to reach for my weapons. "You made a deal with me!"

"You said you knew what pirates do!" said Henry, laughing. "And if you're one of Sparrow's crew, you've got to be better than that!"

I ran after him again, but this time two of the crewmen caught me and held me still.

"Lock 'er in the brig," said Henry.


	27. Chapter 27: Wild Happiness

A/N: Thank you for reviewing! I'm sorry, I've run out of creative escape plans... :)

Disclaimer: Disney owns Lizzie, the _Pearl_, Jack, and others.

* * *

"Let me go!" I demanded, as the men removed my weapons. "Let me--" I kicked one of the men aside; the other man held me tighter and half-dragged me down the steps. He untied my bonds and shoved me into a cell as I wondered what I had done to not be on my guard precisely when I should have been. 

"You're mad," I hissed as the door clanged shut. I waited until the man had his fill of dangling the key before me and gloating. He left without hurry.

"Stupid... betraying... _pirates._" I muttered. _Fantastic. Now I'll just have to wait for them to fire on the _Pearl, I thougt bitterly. _Maybe I'll get lucky this time and they'll fire back, right at this spot. _I leaned against the bars. _We're close enough... for Jack to spot us. Jack, do something!! _

I stood, bored out of my wits, in the cell for a while before I could feel that the ship was gaining speed. Finally. And then I felt--and heard--the cannons being fired. _Fire, Jack! _

I didn't know why I was telling Jack what to do, especially with thoughts. Maybe I was going mad without him. I shook the prison bars uselessly. I had to do _something_, I would die standing there, listening to the pirates fight.

Shots rang through the air; the _Lady _was thrown violently on the waves. I let out a small scream as I was tossed back and forth. I grasped the lowest bar to hold steady and flattened myself on the floor as pieces of the _Lady_'s hull were ripped out by cannonballs. I could feel the water soaking into my clothes as it rushed in.

I gathered the air in my lungs and bellowed, "Someone let me out!" I had stopped thinking rationally, not caring if I was wasting my breath.

Splinters rained onto my back as something heavy and strong broke through the hull again and slammed through my cell door, leaving it rattling unsteadily. I cautiously stood up as the ship rocked again. I could hear more wood cracking above deck. My cell door swung on its hinges, the lock having been knocked out by the cannonball. I smiled grimly. _So this is how Jack escapes all the time... _

I stepped into the aisle and approached the stairs quickly, picking up my weapons along the way. On deck, Henry's men were fighting members of Jack's crew.

"Ye won't be escaping, missy," said one of the men, and I slashed him across the stomach. He fell, groaning. I ran across deck.

"Elizabeth!" exclaimed one of Jack's crewmembers, pausing to stare at me as I passed.

"Yes," I said breathlessly, "Where's Jack?"

"Aboard--aboard the _Pearl_," said another, hesitantly, before returning to fight. I scrutinized the _Pearl_, feeling an enormous sense of relief upon seeing it. It looked as if the people still aboard the _Pearl_ were fighting as well. Meanwhile, three men were preparing to swing aboard. I pulled out my pistol and fired at them in quick succession.

"Thank you for that," I said to the first dead man, taking his rope and climbing onto the railing to swing.

"Oi! Prisoner's escaping!" called someone behind me. I slipped off hastily and held on tightly to the rope with one hand, firing back at the man who had been shouting. I turned away quickly and landed lightly on the deck of the _Pearl_.

I stood away from the center of the battle for a moment, looking up at the black sails flapping in the wind, again wildly, recklessly happy. Then I drew my sword and joined the fight.

Everyone was moving too fast for me to look for Jack. I thought I heard his voice once, and turned, but didn't find him. While I avoided a strike of someone's sword, I thought I saw a man with dreadlocks and a red bandanna, running across the deck, but I had to defend myself, and he disappeared when I looked again. I frowned as my sword met another's. Jack would be fighting, wouldn't he?

I glanced toward the helm, but Cotton was standing there with his parrot squawking curses. I was starting to be worried. _Could he be--_but I stopped. I couldn't think of that. He couldn't be... No. I denied it, even though I knew it could be true. I didn't want to know, didn't want to admit that it was not impossible--it felt like submitting to some greater, hateful power, to admit that he could possibly be... I tried not to think about it, tried not to think that without Jack--without the provider of my happiness, my light, my freedom--I had no reason to exist.

It scared me how I depended on him, how I needed him to survive. Yet I wasn't surprised. He was my shelter and protection, the source of warmth and comfort in a cold dark night. And I couldn't lose that, couldn't lose him or his love. Not again.

"Ha! I've got ye now!" Someone knocked my sword out of my hand and forced both my arms behind my back.

"Captain'll be pleased," said another man, easily resisting my struggling. "Now where's that Jack Sparrow?"

"It's Captain Jack Sparrow, mate," said a familiar voice, but Jack did not step out from the crowd that had stopped fighting. Hope surged through me, I fought my captors with renewed energy and spirit. Hearing his voice felt like someone had filled me again, I felt whole--as if I had never been slightly empty before.

"Jack!" I called, laughing and gasping with joy. "Jack! It's me! It's Elizabeth!"

"_Elizabeth_?" he said, and this time he did step out of the crowd. I stared at him, happy beyond belief at seeing his face, knowing he was fine and feeling that seeing him would make everything else fine as well. My captor pointed a gun at me, but I ignored it.

He stared at me as well, but with a mixture of shock, disbelief, and other emotions. I stopped smiling and looked at him worriedly.

"Jack?"

And he turned away.


	28. Chapter 28: Spoiling My Vision

A/N: Thank you once again for reviewing!

Disclaimer: Disney owns Jack, Lizzie, etc.

* * *

I broke out of the captors' grasps and stood stock-still on deck. Nobody tried to catch me--someone attacked the two men and they had resumed fighting. I felt my mouth open as if to say something, but no sound came out. I stared wide-eyed and shocked as Jack shook his head and walked to his cabin. I heard the door close with a hollow noise, the click of the lock sounded like someone locking away my dreams. 

"Jack..." I whispered uselessly.

With that simple move he had shattered my carefully-constructed, fragile world into a thousand tiny pieces. He had broken everything--my heart, my soul, my happiness, my hope of ever piecing them back together. It felt like someone taking a dagger and stabbing me in the chest, and pulling it out to stab me again--and again, and again...

* * *

I stumbled into the twins' empty cabin, half-surprised they weren't there before remembering they were on deck in the battle. The pain had made me numb, and I moved in a traumatized, trancelike state to a roll of parchment on one of the beds. I sat down and unrolled it, already knowing what it was. 

_... that a pirate Merlow will gain posession of a dangerous and unique weapon--a pistol, identifyable by the Sea Goddess's glyph embedded in gold on it--_

There was a slightly smudged drawing of the symbol I had recognized on the pistol. I read on, curious.

_that kills a victim the moment the bullet touches the skin, rendering Merlow invincible when he controls one of the world's fastest ships and an undead crew. He will be the most feared pirate to sail the seas, with almost complete power and only one way to break his spell. Should anyone willingly die from his pistol's shot, he will suffer for eternity at World's End, the pistol's power broken._

There was a long passage describing Merlow that I skimmed without much interest, reading only the bit about Jack's parents.

_With his power, Merlow will have greed and lust... and fall in love with a woman who for a while loved him too, but her love is not deep, not permanent and before he can confess of his desire to live with her forever, her heart will be captured by another man. _

I let my thoughts drift as I read, to the day not long ago... just before he told me about his mother.

_"You occupy the highest rank in the Caribbean, luv."_

_"What about you? Aren't you Captain Jack Sparrow?"_

_"Of course. But you, darling, are my pirate queen."_

_My queen... _I shook my head, choking on my sobs. I could taste the salty tears sliding down my face, knowing he was the one person I couldn't live without, the one person whose love I needed...

My tears fell onto the parchment and streaked down the sheet, but the words were unharmed. I smoothed it out and tried to concentrate on the black letters running across the page. They were written in a slanted, looping hand--messy but gorgeous. I wondered who had recorded the prophecy, and continued to read.

_One day years after Merlow gains his power another man will die willingly from the pistol's shot, in the place of someone he loves. The spell will be broken and Merlow's power with it. The Sea Goddess, however, is angry that what is hers isn't returned. And though she knows it's possible the woman can survive with the man's sacrifice, she unleashes her power, killing the woman at sea while making it seem that it was a favor--uniting the lovers in the next world._

I looked up, dazed.

_"He fulfilled the prophecy. Or at least part of it."_

There had been more, that the twins had known. And I had ignored them when it seemed they were going to tell me. _I should be dead right now..._

I shouldn't be on board the _Pearl_. I should have been in the next world, beyond this world's end, with Will. _With Will...?_ It didn't make sense. I loved Jack. _Jack... _I walked out of the cabin hopelessly and on deck, noticing without caring that there were only a few of Henry's crew left fighting, but on the _Lady_ there were as many as before.

"Emera, Aryza," I said, approaching them.

"Elizabeth," they said in a surprised tone, looking at me and the parchment in my hand suspiciously.

"I don't understand," I said with a sigh, indicating the prophecy.

"Neither do we," they chorused, and Emera reached out to touch my hand.

"She's real," she murmured to Aryza.

"Of course I'm real!" I said, bewildered, but suddenly I understood. "But I should be dead. And you thought..."

"Yes, how did you come back?" asked Aryza.

"I never died!" I exclaimed impatiently. "That's what I don't understand at the moment... But explain this--_what is hers isn't returned..._"

"The pistol has her symbol on it."

"I have to give it back, don't I?" I whispered, realizing, staring at the paper. "Or she'll kill me..."

"You think like Mum," commented Emera. "Yes. But the Sea Goddess misunderstands. She thinks the woman the man loved loved the man in return."

I looked at her, just as someone rushed at me with a sword.

"One of you--" I shouted, pulling out my sword and clashing it with the oppenent's.

"--take me--" I ducked and tried to stab at the man's leg but missing.

"--to your island--" I evaded another blow and slashed the man's chest, pushing him overboard as I did so.

"--immediately!" I finished. "I--"

I pulled Henry's map from my pocket, handed it to Emera.

"It's an enchanted map. Will it be enough?"

"I'll take you," she said. "Get in the boat, it's in the water."

"Thank you." I scrambled over the edge of the ship and lowered myself into the rowboat. There were no oars. Emera jumped in gracefully after me, and stroked the wood with one finger. The boat sped forward through the water, its curved streamlined shape making it even faster, leaving a widening ripple of water behind. I watched the _Pearl_ grow smaller and smaller. In what seemed like seconds I saw the outline of Isla de Profecia on the horizon, and Emera made the boat move so fast it was positively skimming above the water.

"I hope you're considering that I haven't got any powers to miraculously survive a crash," I said warningly. "I intend to make it to your island alive, at least."

Emera grinned. The doors to the cavern opened, the boat flew into them, and the doors had barely closed again before I found us right in front of the main chamber, the boat at a complete stop.

"Are you still alive?"

"Surprisingly, considering that the pistol is still somewhere in here. Can't you do anything?"

"I'm saving my energy for the return trip."

I heaved a sigh and searched the cavern floor. It seemed to take an eternity for me to finally find the pistol. I picked it up with scratched and bloody hands.

"It's too shallow here, the tide will bring it back," I said. "We've got to get back to the _Pearl._"

We got into the boat and once again Emera made it speed across the water, arriving back at the _Pearl _immediately.

I climbed up the side, taking the pistol and turning it over in my hand as I stood on deck.

"Elizabeth."

I looked up and sucked in my breath.

"Jack."

He walked to me, eyes dark and unfathomable.

"I'm real," I whispered. "I'm not dead. I'm not an illusion."

He reached out to stroke my hair. He touched my arm, and squeezed it hard.

"Don't!" I screamed.

"Go tell the captain o' the _Lady_ that we're surrendering," he said in a blank voice.

"No!" I exclaimed. "Why would you do that—"

"Yer my Lizzie," he said, and wrapped his arms around me. And all of a sudden I was laughing and smiling, and it felt like I had never been broken before—I felt whole, and new, and perfect.

"Let me return the Sea Goddess's possession," I said. He let me go, and I took a last look at the weapon in my hand before I flung it far out into the ocean. I watched as it fell

into the water, and waited until the ripple had smoothed again. And all of a sudden he was kissing me with such a deep passion, and I found myself kissing him back, and it felt like nobody else existed except for us--in a glorious, beautiful trance... He kissed my hair, my eyelids, my neck, my face, my hands, and finally he came back to my lips, and I felt like I was floating, drifting, on a gorgeous, endless wave...

"As much as I'd like not to point out something so displeasing as to ruin the flawlessness of the moment," said Jack, pulling away at last, "the clouds are gathering, and the storm looks nigh unescapable."

"What are we going to do?"

"Well, it looks like now that we've defeated the _Lady_ and killed everybody they've got, we should try to run."

I looked at the _Lady_, surprised, and found that it was damaged beyond repair and sinking. I watched the _Pearl'_s crew members swinging back, and suddenly saw another ship approaching.

"What's that?"

"Not good," said Jack hastily. "It looks like another East India Trading Company ship..."

"What's happening, why are they here?"

"Good question. Why are they in my sight? Why are they... shall I say, spoiling my vision with that hideous flag?"

"They haven't gotten a new chairman already, have they?"

"They have, I think."

"Should we... negotiate, then?"

"Not yet, darling. Wait. And watch."

The sky was dark as the rain started to fall, soaking us to the skin. A fierce wind started to blow, and lightning streaked across the sky, accompanied by the low growl of thunder. I stood with Jack by the mast, watching as the ship grew nearer. When it was level with the _Pearl, _I heard a voice shout, "Fire!"

There was a flash of cannonfire, and wood splintered all over the deck.

"All hands!" Jack called. "Run out the cannons!"

I glanced at the water as the crew started to rush onto deck, not yet ready to start working. The water was becoming violent, the waves crashing heavily onto the wood and pouring more water on deck.

"On the ready!"

"Captain!" shouted Gibbs, awaiting orders.

"Fire!"

"Fire!"

"_Fire_!" I screamed.

The noise of the cannons was defeaning, but I had heard it so many times it seemed to offer me some comfort in the lashing storm. I saw a group of crewmen swinging aboard the EITC ship, and I was about to climb up the ropes to fix the sails when Jack called me.

I ran to Jack, who was standing at the helm, turning the wheel a little.

"The twins were just captured and brought to the other ship," he said.

"I didn't see anybody!" I exclaimed, bewildered.

"Well, ye can't expect to see much in a battle, even if it's just started," he said reasonably. "But looks like I've got a blood debt to pay. Man the helm while I'm gone."

"But, Jack--" I began. "I--I can't--"

"Lizzie," he said, letting go of the wheel and taking my hands into his, "I trust you to sail us through this storm. I trust you to see that all's well and we'll be able to ride out the storm."

I stared at him and found myself lost in his eyes.

"Jack," I said worriedly. "Be safe. For me. You're all I have."

"And vice versa," he whispered, "Stay strong, Lizzie. I trust you to be the morning sunlight that will chase away the storm, savvy? If I don't come back--"

"I have faith in you," I said, trying to convince myself I could possibly be strong enough to be morning sunlight. "And you must come back. Make sure you come back!"

I let go of his hands. It felt like letting go of hope, letting go of life...

_"Stay strong_._"_

I held on to the helm and watched as the reason I woke up every morning, the reason I took every breath, grasped a rope and swung away into the storm.


	29. Chapter 29: What Have I Done?

A/N:Thank you, dear reviewers! And I'm afraid that this is the penultimate chapter... :( Sorry for the wait, my Internet went weird...

Spoiler: Oh, dear...

Disclaimer: Alas, not today, not tomorrow, but _one day, _I shall own PotC. Or not.

* * *

I grasped the handles of the helm. The rain was pounding on the wood now, and the wind was so strong I was surprised I didn't get carried away with it.

I could feel the power of the helm coursing through my hands, the feeling that I could do anything with the ship, that my life and everyone else's depended on my every move.

And it felt amazing... Standing there, turning the helm, with rain lashing at my face and the wind biting my hands, I was bonded with the sea. I _was _the sea, and I was the sky, and the wind and the rain, and I was the water that soaked my own skin... and I felt the glory of being a captain, the beauty and the wicked power...

But it was as difficult as it was thrilling. My arms weren't strong enough to keep holding on. The ship was tilted on its side, and I fought to keep it steady as every muscle in my body complained. The sound of the swordfighting on deck was defeaning, and I was glad there weren't enough people to try to attack me at the moment.

I felt a relief beyond description as I saw the familiar figure swinging through the rain.

"Jack!" I cried. "Help!"

He was coming across the deck. _Just hold on a little longer... _But I couldn't, it was too much, too hard... My hands slipped from the helm, and I didn't know what was happening.

The wheel spun backwards, and I heard the boom of cannons and guns as the _Black Pearl_ was tossed on the waves, the mast hitting the other ship's mast once in the violent movement.

_No! _In the distraction the _Pearl_ had been blown almost to pieces, though I saw more and more redcoats' bodies being tossed overboard the other ship.

"Oh, no, Jack, I've ruined the _Pearl_!" I cried. "Jack, what've I done?"

"Don't worry about it. They've just about taken the other ship," said Jack, shielding me from the flying debris as he tried to control the helm. He was trying to comfort me at the same time, but I could detect the disappointment he tried to hide.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. There was nothing I could do, nothing that could lessen the terrible guilt I felt.

"A ship would never be as important as you, love!" shouted Jack through the noise.

There was a terrible, loud sound of snapping wood.

"Not good!" he said hastily, and I heard the crack of the mast breaking. I turned to see it falling toward me, and Jack held my hand with a rope ready.

"Hold on, darling," he whispered. I wrapped my arms around his waist, his strong movements only slightly comforting. In a second he had sliced through the thick rope. We rose into the air, my arms sore and weary but holding on to him... all I had, all that was left... I looked down at the wreck of the _Black Pearl _as the mast plunged into the pile of broken wood on the storm-touched water. I buried my face in Jack's chest and let the tears flow. There was no point in holding them back, no point in wishing, no point telling myself everything would be fine. It was all a lie, all a made-up fantasy to hide from the storm, every last bit shattered.

It came from nowhere, it flashed through out of the air and buried itself in his chest. I felt as he let go of the rope with a jolt, just as we were about to land on a large piece of wood by the East India Trading Company's ship.

"No," I whispered, choked by the tears. "No. No!" It couldn't be. I refused to believe it, as the tears poured down my face and blurred my vision. I saw someone coming from the ship to help me on board, a few men carrying Jack to the captain's cabin. I stumbled after them, wrenched the dagger from the wound. _So close to his heart... it belongs to me... _There were towels and buckets of fresh water, and as I mechanically cleansed it I told myself again that it would be all right, that Captain Jack Sparrow couldn't possibly... that he would wake up soon... I could barely see through my tears, and I didn't know if I was lying to myself again.

"Jack," I whispered, laying a kiss on his lips, shaking my head helplessly and trying to speak. "Jack, I'm so sorry. Please... wake up. I'm sorry. Jack, please. Jack!"

I shook him by the shoulders, laid my ear to his chest desperately, all the while talking faster and faster.

"Jack, don't! No! Don't go. Jack, wake up! _Wake up! _Jack! Jack, I'm sorry, please wake up! Jack! JACK!"

He opened his eyes a little, and I his lips move.

"Lizzie..."

"Yes, I'm right here! Look at me, you're all right, you'll be fine! Jack!"

He closed his eyes again.

"No." I shook my head frantically. "No! Jack, no! _No!_"

It felt like the entire world was crashing down on me, and everything I had ever hoped for was ruined. I couldn't stand, I felt myself falling, my mouth open and moving but unable to make any sound. I was trying to breathe, but I couldn't, my lungs constricted. I couldn't think, couldn't comprehend what was happening, only knowing one thing before the world turned black.

_I've lost everything..._


	30. Chapter 30: Sunrise

A/N: Ok the last chapter may have been a bit confusing, sorry 'bout that. Basically she was at the helm and couldn't hold it, and it slipped just as Jack was coming, and that was bad because it kind of made the _Pearl_ go a bit out of control on the waves, and while that happened the EITC ship nearly destroyed the _Pearl_, but then right after that the pirates killed just about all the EITC people, so now the EITC ship is theirs but the _Pearl_ is wrecked, and Jack and Lizzie swung away when the mast fell but in midair someone somehow threw a dagger and... boohoo you know the rest. Now they are on the EITC ship. I know it's all very unrealistic and improbable, and I'm sorry, but I hope it clears things up. :)

Anyways... ta da! It's the last chappie!sniff I'm going to miss this terribly...

A huge thank you (with hugs!) to: Terrieluv, Florencia7, mrspatrickdempsey, arrabellasmith, crazibookwormi, DarkPirategirl, dextrinn, moovieluvverjs, Amanda601, Sassy Sparrow, BrokenHeart525, sparrabethlover08, Sarshysesshysisshysosshysushi, FreeSpritSprite, xInaxheartbeat, kcpiratey05, englishfreckle, MeganSparrow, vampout, teepirategirl, QueenofSparrabeth, freelke, Oceanana, ichliebepie, lena-hearts-jack, Queen Tigress, xStarlingx, -Aussiegirl'luvs'yooh-, howlongmustiwait, terrie, missrisa77, MiMiGallowicious, and if your name isn't there, you. (Yes, I'm talking to you:)

I can't express how grateful I am for writing a few lines of feedback or encouragement. For nearly four months, your reviews have fueled this story since the first chapter. So I am very sad to end this, but thank you once again for reading, for sailing with me. (And with Lizzie!) Have a great time sailing elsewhere! I might not write a sequel, school's starting soon and I'll be busy, but I _will_ write more Pirates fanfiction. Please drop a last review before you go. Bon voyage!

Disclaimer: PotC still belongs to Disney.

Ok, after that incredibly long A/N, to the story!

* * *

When I woke up I found myself in one of the cabins of the ship, and I felt the pain in my heart. I felt broken. 

I walked up the steps on deck and stood leaning on the railing, watching the silver lines of the water without interest.

_Shattered… everything… gone… _

I should have known. I should have known ever since I had first started singing that song that it would never happen. That even if I did meet a pirate, I would never be able to live happily aboard a pirate ship, that I would never be able to be with a man I truly loved. That it was all too good, too perfect, like in a fairy tale…

_It's not fair, _I thought bitterly, tears stinging my eyes. _Why can't I have a fairy tale ending? _

What was the use of crying? There was nothing I could do to bring him back.

_And what's the use of being brave? Of holding back, of telling myself I can still have a 'happily ever after?' _

My world was broken. I had no reason to live. I stared at the sea, imagining what could happen. Thinking of the rush of the air as I let go of life, of how the water would come up to meet me, of how easily it would be over. And then I could see him in the next world.

"Are you sure you're feeling all right?" asked the twins, walking to me.

"Yes," I said. Another lie. They offered me a bottle of rum, and I took it and gulped down the brown liquid listlessly. "How long have I been unconscious?"

"A few hours," said one of them lightly, looking at the sky. It looked like the very early morning, still a bit dark.

All of a sudden I turned to them desperately.

"Can't you _do_ anything?" I demanded.

"We've tried everything."

"I've ruined everything," I whispered. "I could have held on just a little longer…"

"It's not your fault."

"Stop lying to me," I snapped, and stared out at the water again.

"We've… fixed the _Pearl_," offered Aryza.

"That's impossible," I said simply, not paying attention, not caring. "You'd have to be mad to try."

She turned and pointed. The _Black Pearl_ was secured to the other ship by ropes, looking as magnificent as ever before.

"We had to draw power from everything magical we could find. Including this."

She turned my palm up and dropped something cool and heavy into it. I looked down at the golden entwined-hearts necklace in my hand. The gold seemed to have lost some of its shine, and was now a more dull color.

"It has no magical power anymore," she said. "We're sorry."

My hand closed around the necklace as fresh tears welled in my eyes.

"It doesn't matter anymore. It's for lovers."

"He was a good man," said Emera quietly. "We didn't do anything to the compass."

"It doesn't matter anymore," I repeated, my voice hollow. Out of lack of something to do, I dropped the necklace in my pocket climbed to the _Pearl_.

Every board and plank was in place, and there wasn't a crack anywhere. The mast stood in its position, tall and sturdy, the black sails furled but looking perfectly repaired.

I had no more emotion left to be awed at how impeccably the _Pearl_ had been reconstructed. I walked to the side, stroked the smooth wooden railing.

_"One word, luv. Curiosity. You long for freedom. You long to do what you want to do, because you want to. To act on selfish impulse. You want to see what it's like. One day, you won't be able to resist." _

I walked to the helm, trying to fight back the memories, but still seeing all those times I watched him standing there, turning the wheel, looking utterly happy…

"Oi!"

I looked up, and I didn't believe what I saw. I tried to restrain my excitement and the inevitable happiness and relief, telling myself it was all just a vision, that it wasn't real, that it couldn't be… that I would just be disappointed later, that it was just wishful thinking… But I abandoned those thoughts, because there was nothing I wanted to see more, and if it would disappear later, it didn't matter. I had to see it, if only for a few seconds.

"Why is my ship…" called Jack, gesturing to all the ropes from the stern of the East India Trading Company's ship.

"Jack—it's not—"

"Probable! Not probable." He dove into the water with a splash and resurfaced by the _Pearl_. I watched as he started to climb up the steps in the hull and stepped on deck.

"Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry—" I whispered, but he stopped me in his embrace, and I was lost in all the happiness and freedom his arms brought.

He raised my chin, brought his lips to mine ardently. For a long moment we stood there on deck with our lips locked together. I had my fingers entwined behind his neck, and he had one hand tangled in my hair and one on my back. It felt as if golden sunlight had broken through the clouds as we kissed with fiery passion. When our lips parted, I pulled him closer, and snuggled my face in his shoulder.

"How did you come back?" I whispered in his ear.

"Well," said Jack. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. And _being_ Captain Jack Sparrow, there are a certain number of things I can do, that nobody else can. And using my knowledge of said things that I can do, I did something else, that even I couldn't do, which brought me back. Savvy?"

"You can't do something you can't," I said quizzically.

"Well then I suppose now I can do it."

I laughed and leaned against him, watching the horizon turn red and gold as the sun started to rise. Suddenly I remembered something, and from my pocket pulled out the gold necklace.

"It won't bring eternal happiness anymore."

"Darling," said Jack. "We don't _need_ that."

"I know," I whispered.

"Cap'n!" shouted Mr. Gibbs from the other ship. "It's a miracle!"

"Aye, I like the sound of that."

The crew started to climb aboard the _Pearl_. Jack pulled out his pistol and shot down the ropes.

"Do we have a heading?" asked Mr. Gibbs. Jack pulled out the compass, opened it, and looked at me.

"No, we do not," announced Jack grandly. "But we will be needing more rum before we go after Merlow's treasure."

"Aye, captain!"

"Now..." said Jack, accompanying me to the bow. I smiled at him, endlessly happy, lost in his eyes.

We sailed toward freedom, toward the sunrise, under the billowing sails of black.

**_Fin. _**


End file.
